This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
Published on October 24, 2019, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi delivered a message to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed regarding the soon-to-be-finished mega-project on the Blue Nile.
The meeting, which lasted around 45 minutes, took place in a positive atmosphere, according to an Egyptian diplomat.
The contentious issue of the giant dam's operation and the filling of its reservoir has been a major point of contention between Cairo and Addis Ababa.
Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 90 percent of its water supply, fears that the dam will stem the flow of the river, while Ethiopia insists that the dam is necessary to provide much-needed electricity and that the onward flow of water will not be affected.
Discussions between the two countries and Sudan, through which the river also passes, have been in stalemate for nine years, with tensions soaring after the latest round of talks ended without reaching a deal.
Cairo has sought international mediation to break the deadlock, but Addis Ababa has rejected the mediation, calling Egypt's claims "unwarranted denial of the progress" made during the negotiations.
However, the two leaders have agreed that an independent technical committee seeking an agreement on the dam's operation will immediately press on with its work.
Additionally, Egypt has accepted a US invitation to hold talks with Sudan and Ethiopia in Washington, although neither Addis Ababa nor Khartoum has publicly responded.
Russia has also offered its assistance in resolving the conflict, with Russian President Vladimir Putin offering his support during a meeting with the President of Egypt and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
