Given that they ended inconclusively, it may seem incongruous to welcome the recent talks that took place in Cairo between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over the enormous Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, or Gerd. But perhaps it is the very nature of the issue at stake that lends itself to mediation rather than conflict. Responsible and strategically minded governments understand that give and take on managing shared water resources is to the benefit of all concerned. Egypt has for years been suffering from a severe water crisis and mounting anxiety has gripped farmers over Ethiopia's gigantic dam on the Blue Nile, a key tributary of the Nile. These concerns do not have to be in opposition to each other, and although managing shared water resources is a complex business, other countries have found a modus vivendi.

Source: Ethiopian News August 30, 2023 03:53 UTC