Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has requested South African mediation in the protracted dispute over a controversial dam being built by his country on the River Nile.
Speaking during an official visit to Pretoria on Sunday, Prime Minister Abiy called on Ramaphosa who takes over the rotating chairmanship of the African Union Commission in February to faclitate talks between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan aimed at resolving the contentious issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project.
The recent tripartite talks in Addis Ababa between the three Nile countries over the filling and operation of the GERD ended in a deadlock.
Egypt’s new proposal requires Ethiopia to fill the dam between 12 and 21 years and release 40 billion cubic meters of Nile water annually to the downstream countries.
Ethiopia has vehemently rejected this proposal, insisting instead to fill the dam within six to seven years which Egypt fears would compromise its shares of water from Africa’s longest river.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will be the next Chairman of the African Union Commission, is a good friend of Ethiopia and that of Egypt. He can resolve the controversy going on between the two countries peacefully. It is impossible for Africa to attain its development goals without peace. I call upon President Ramaphosa to mediate the three countries as friend and brother to all of them,” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was quoted as saying .
PM Ahmed’s request was accepted by President Ramaphosa who emphasized the need for the three counties to reach an agreement.
The South African leader described the Nile as vital for both countries and recalled the talks he had with President Abdel Fattah al Sisi of Egypt over the GERD them as fruitful and progressive.
Since last month, the United States has been hosting talks between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan which have so far been deadlocked over the time it should take to fill the dam.
MG/as/APA