The long-standing dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has entered a new phase, as the water ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan met in Cairo on Sunday to resume negotiations on the filling and operation of the dam. The GERD, which is being built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, is expected to hold 74 billion cubic meters of water, an amount that could affect the water shares of Egypt and Sudan, which depend on the Nile for most of their water needs. Egypt has been calling for a binding legal agreement that would ensure its water security and prevent any unilateral actions by Ethiopia. Ethiopia, on the other hand, has been insisting on its right to use its natural resources for development and electricity generation. According to Abbas Sharaky, a professor of geology and water resources at Cairo University, this meant that the dam lake would have about 36 billion cubic meters of water in a few days.

Source: Daily News Egypt August 27, 2023 14:52 UTC