On Thursday, UN Security Council members tried to resolve the long-running dispute between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan over the operation of Addis Ababa’s giant hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile. Members supported the African Union’s mediation work and called on all parties to continue the talks.
Egypt and Sudan both called on the UN Security Council to help resolve the dispute after Ethiopia began filling the reservoir earlier this week behind the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) for a second year. Ethiopia opposes all Security Council interference. Addis Ababa says that AU should resume handling of the talks.
“A balanced and equitable solution to fill and operate the GERD can be achieved with the political commitment of all parties,” the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the Council. “This begins with the resumption of productive, substantive negotiations. These negotiations should be conducted under the auspices of the African Union and should begin immediately,” she said, adding that the AU “is the most appropriate place to address this dispute.”
Many Council diplomats were wary of involving the body in the dispute – in addition to holding the meeting on Thursday – because they are worried it could set a precedent that would allow other countries to seek the Security Council’s help with water disputes.
Ethiopia says that the dam is crucial for its economic development and for giving strength. But Egypt sees it as a serious threat to its water supplies in the Nile, on which it is almost entirely dependent. Sudan, also downstream, has expressed concern about the dam’s safety and impact on its own dams and water stations.
Tunisia has proposed a draft Security Council resolution calling for a binding agreement between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt on the operation of the giant dam within six months. It was not clear if or when it could be put to the vote. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called on the Security Council to adopt the resolution.
“We do not expect the Council to formulate solutions to the outstanding legal and technical issues, nor do we expect the Council to impose the terms of a settlement,” he said. “This resolution is of a political nature and its purpose … is to resume negotiations.”
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam Sadiq al-Mahdi also called on the Council to act by demanding that the negotiations be resumed and that Ethiopia refrain from any unilateral action. Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Seleshi Bekele Awulachew said a $ 5 billion agreement on the operation of the dam was “within reach”, and described it as unfortunate that Egypt and Sudan were pushing for the Security Council meeting.
“We urge our Egyptian and Sudanese brothers and sisters to understand that the solution to the Nile does not come from the Security Council. It can only come from good faith negotiations,” he told the council. Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia suggested that the countries meet in New York to try to solve some problems.
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