Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan FMs' "appreciate" observer role of US, World Bank

WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (KUNA) -- The foreign ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan said they "appreciate the observer role" of the US and the World Bank (WB), noting "the progress achieved in the technical meetings among the Ministers of Water Resources in Addis Ababa and in Cairo." In a joint statement of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, the US and the WB, issued by the US Department of Treasury Monday, the Ministers agreed that "the strategic direction of the next two technical meetings should be the development of technical rules and guidelines for the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the definition of drought conditions, and drought mitigation measures to be taken." "The Ministers recognize that there are substantial benefits to all three countries in developing rules and guidelines to address drought conditions," the statement added.
It noted that "the rules and guidelines will include drought mitigation measures based upon the natural flow in the given year and water release rates from the GERD." "The implementation of these technical rules and guidelines for the filling and operation of the GERD will be undertaken by Ethiopia, and may be adjusted by the three countries, in accordance with the hydrological conditions in the given year," according to the statement.
The statement indicated that the foreign ministers will reconvene in the nation's capital on January 13 "to review the results of the upcoming technical meetings in Khartoum and Addis Ababa with the goal of finalizing an agreement." The ministers had met in Washington DC last month during which they agreed "to work toward completion of an agreement by January 15, 2020," and also agreed to hold four technical governmental meetings at the level of water ministers, and that the US and WB "would support and attend the meetings as observers." (end) si.mb