GERD: Ethiopia calls US position “unacceptable”

The Ethiopian government has the called the United States’ position over the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) “totally unacceptable” following negotiations.

The comment came after the US issued a statement last week urging Ethiopia to formally commit to the agreement reached with Egypt and Sudan.

The statement said “final testing and filling [of the dam] should not take place” without all parties involved signing the agreement.

Ethiopia’s foreign minister, however, responded strongly to the suggestion. 

Gedu Andargachew said the statement was “undiplomatic”, adding “We want the Americans to play a constructive role. Any other role is totally unacceptable”.

The US has been mediating talks between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt over the GERD, currently being built by Ethiopia.

When finished, the dam, which traverses the Blue Nile, will be Africa’s biggest hydroelectric power plant and will provide Ethiopia and some of its neighbours with huge amounts of electricity and greater energy security.

However Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 90% of its water, sees the project as an existential threat, believing the GERD will hand control of the river flow to Ethiopia.

The biggest flashpoint in negotiations is proving to be the time Ethiopia takes to fill the dam.

Egypt fears that if this is done too quickly, it will drop the level of the river too dramatically which would cause huge problems for their water supply.

Some fear that if these talks in Washington DC fail and no agreement is signed off by all parties, the spat will lead to war.

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