Link to article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/2/sudan-egypt-and-ethiopia-resume-nile-mega-dam-talks
Analysis: Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia have resumed their talks over Addis Ababa’s controversial 145 meter tall hydropower Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River.
Starting on Sunday week-long negotiations, held via videoconference, included water ministers from the three countries, as well as representatives from the African Union, the European Union, and the World Bank.
The most recent round of communication came three months after the suspension of dialogue between the African neighbors over the construction of the $4.6bn mega-dam by Ethiopia.
Previous attempts at communication failed to reach an agreement on the filling and operation of the dam’s vast reservoir.
Each state involved in these negotiations will be affected by this dam differently. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for about 97 percent of its irrigation and drinking water, sees the dam as an existential threat. Sudan hopes the dam will help regulate flooding, but has also warned that millions of lives would be at “great risk” if Ethiopia unilaterally fills the dam. Ethiopia, on the other hand, views the project as essential for its electrification and development, and insists that the flow of water downstream will not be affected.
In July, Addis Ababa declared that it reached its first-year target of filling the mega-dam’s reservoir, which can hold 74 billion cubic meters (2,600 billion cubic feet) of water.
Unilateral action on behalf of Ethiopia could be detrimental to both Egypt and Sudan. These downstream nations could experience a host of problems such as flooding or drought. The Nile provides Egypt with a vast majority of it’s water based needs. Losing this vital source of water could cripple Egypt’s agriculture and it’s peoples quality of life.
Addis Ababa’s recent accomplishment in reaching it’s first-year target goal of filling the mega-dam’s reservoir reveals its determination and unbending need to proceed with the completion of the dam. Ethiopia’s persistence regarding this dam shows a clear preference for internal matters and a clear disregard to external matters.
Sudan’s, Egypt’s, and Ethiopia’s peace talks involve a host of global actors including both states and IGO’s. The three states involved in these negotiations are Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Political IGO’s such as the African and European Union are also involved in these negotiations along with economic IGO’s such as the world bank.
At a regional level North Africa’s harsh desert environment and limited water source facilitated current conflicts. Egypt and Sudan’s downstream geographic location has also been a deciding factor by making these states dependent on the Nile and at the mercy of Ethiopia. At the state level Ethiopia’s persistence in the development of this dam is directly responsible for budding conflicts with both Sudan and Egypt.