Sudan, Egypt invited to Nominate Dam Operators for Data Exchange before Second Filling of GERD

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia has formally invited the Sudan and Egypt to nominate dam operators to exchange data before the second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) commences in the upcoming rainy seasons in Ethiopia.

The invitation has been sent to water ministry of the two nations by Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation, and Energy Seleshi Bekele.

In the letters, Seleshi invited the two countries to nominate focal persons or dam operators to exchange data among the three countries with regards to the second-year filling.

The filling is scheduled to take place in July and August 2021.

According to the letters, the invitation was based on the consensus that was reached on the filling schedule formulated by the National Independent Scientific Research Group (NISRG) of the three countries along with the period of the filling in July and August and it may continue in September depending on the hydrology.

Stating the progress of the GERD construction and the approaching rainy seasons in Ethiopia, where the filling is scheduled, Seleshi underlined the need to work together on practical and important communication arrangements.

Nominating focal persons soon will expedite appropriate information exchange arrangements and confidence-building measures among the tripartite until the conclusion of the GERD negotiation under the auspices of the African Union, the letters read.

The letter underlined the importance of immediate conclusion of agreement on the rules and guidelines on first filling in accordance with Article 5a of the Declaration of Principle that was signed by the three countries in 2015 will offer a good opportunity to build confidence and trust among the parties.

Attaching information on bottom outlet testing of the GERD, the letters expressed Ethiopia’s keenness to host the first focal persons/ dam operators meeting physically in Addis Ababa or virtually.