CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2019) Another round of consultations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile river will take place between December 2-3 in Cairo, Egypt's Water Ministry said.
On Friday, the first meeting of a four-meeting series between the three countries on the dam convened in Addis Ababa. The sides discussed disputed rules of the dam's operation and filling with the Nile's water.
"The meeting in Ethiopia's capital concluded [on Saturday] with an agreement to continue the consultations on all disputed issues during the second meeting, which will take place in Cairo from December 2-3," the ministry said in a statement.
The sides also discussed the schedule for filling the dam and its upcoming launch.
Ethiopia began constructing what is expected to become Africa's biggest hydroelectric power site in 2012. However, tensions subsequently emerged between Addis Ababa and Cairo with the latter expressing concerns that Egypt, alongside Sudan that are located downstream, might experience water shortages due to the project. The sides have since held multiple rounds of talks on the issue.
