Ethiopia Refutes Egypt’s Water Filling Proposal

Sep 21 , 2019

Ethiopia rejected Egypt’s proposal for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that suggested that the country should release 40 billion cubic metres of water every year, while the Aswan Dam will only release water when its volume reaches 165m above sea level. Egypt also asked that the Dam be refilled every seven years. Ethiopia rejected the proposal, stating that it contradicts the Nile Dam Declaration, and it creates unnecessary bindings and obligations for Ethiopia. Ethiopia also indicated that it could only release 29-35 billion cubic metres of water a year. Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan resumed the dam talks last year for three consecutive days.  Egypt had come up with a plan to facilitate the increment in the water content of the Nile Dam. There will be a technical negotiation between the countries that will be held in Sudan starting from October 3, 2019, about the refilling and release of the water and its impact on other countries where the Nile extends. The water ministers of each state will have further discussions on the points that will be approved.