This archive report was first published on 3 December 2019.
On December 9, 2019, the irrigation ministries of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan will meet in the United States capital for ministerial-level talks, followed by technical discussions in Khartoum on December 21-22.
The meetings in Cairo, which took place in the presence of World Bank and US observers, were a crucial step in resolving the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
As part of their agreement in Washington last month, the three countries set a target of January 15, 2020, to resolve the dispute.
US President Donald Trump has agreed to mediate the talks at the request of Egypt, which fears that the dam would disrupt the Nile River, its primary source of drinking water.
The Nile River is a vital lifeline for the 10 countries it traverses, providing both water and electricity.
Analysts warn that if the dispute is not resolved before the dam begins operating in 2022, the three Nile basin countries could be drawn into a conflict.
