This archive report was first published on 10 June 2020.
On June 9, 2020, Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia's Water and Irrigation ministers resumed negotiations over the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, a contentious issue that has been a source of tension between the three countries.
According to Sudanese Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Yasser Abbas, the virtual meeting discussed two main items: the measures needed to continue the negotiations as soon as possible and the outstanding issues for each country.
Abbas described the meeting as 'fruitful' and reaffirmed that Sudan's official position supports the interests of Sudan, which are based on technical opinion.
He noted that sometimes Sudan's interests align with those of Ethiopia and sometimes with Egypt, but emphasized that Sudan's interests do not conflict with those of its neighbors.
The meeting, which included observers from the US, European Union Commission, and South Africa, came after Sudanese Prime Minister Dr Abdalla Hamdok contacted his Ethiopian and Egyptian counterparts.
The parties agreed to continue with daily meetings, except on Friday and Sunday, in an effort to reach a consensus on the remaining issues.
—Additional reporting by Xinhua
