Abu Dhabi: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi reiterated on Friday his rejection of any unilateral action around the Ethiopian dam, which is nearing completion on the Blue Nile River, and called again for a comprehensive agreement.
During a telephonic conversation with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, Al Sisi confirmed that the issues of the dam and the Blue Nile River were keys to meeting the demands of a growing Egyptian population, which has already exceeded 100 million.
The Egyptian president thanked Ramaphosa, who is also the current chairperson of the African Union (AU), for ensuring that the tripartite delegation (including Sudan) continue with the negotiations.
The AU-sponsored talks lasted 11 days, but ended without an agreement. All three parties now intend to hold a mini-summit, whose details are yet to be disclosed.
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Al Sisi advocated all possible diplomatic options to resolve the dispute, which has now lasted for more than nine years.
The Egyptian president has urged Ethiopia to rule out unilateral measures such as filling in the dam with rain water.
