Page 4 - AfrElec Annual Review 2021

AfrElec JANUARY AfrElec

GERD talks remain hostage to

regional conflicts

Regional unrest could derail the GERD project unless all governments involved remain
committed to the success of the latest round of talks, writes Richard Lockhart

ETHIOPIA SUDAN, Egypt and Ethiopia have agreed to turned Ethiopia into a [danger zone] to escape
renew talks on resolving their disagreements its own internal problems, as there are tens of
WHAT: over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam thousands of Islamists inside prisons in Egypt.
The restart of GERD (GERD) on the Blue Nile. … It is using such matters to avoid internal Egyp-
is overshadowed by Sudan’s Water Ministry said that it had hosted tian issues and [is focusing] its attention on the
regional conflicts online talks this week where the three sides had GERD.”
agreed to hold a new round of talks in January, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson
WHY: supported by observers from the African Union Ahmed Hafez condemned Mufti’s statements,
Egypt and Ethiopia are and other international organisations. saying: “Such an offence on the Egyptian state
accusing each other of “The meeting concluded … that this week and allegations about its internal affairs is noth-
threatening security will be devoted to bilateral talks between the ing but a continuation of the approach of using
three countries, the experts and the observers,” a hostile tone and fuelling emotions as a cover
WHAT NEXT: Sudan’s Water Ministry said in a statement. for Ethiopia’s multiple failures, both domestically
Any agreement on The talks will pave the way “for the resump- and externally. Meanwhile, Egypt has always
GERD is remote if tion of tripartite negotiations on Sunday, January favoured refraining from mentioning in any
wider political conflicts 10 in the hope of concluding by the end of Janu- way the internal situation and developments in
continue to undermine ary,” the statement continues. Ethiopia.”
trust between the parties Throughout 2020 the three countries failed The background is that fighting broke out in
involved to reach any final agreement on the filling of the Tigray in Ethiopia in November 2020 between
reservoir at the 145-metre tall GERD, which will the Ethiopian government and the region’s rul-
support a 6,000-MW hydropower plant (HPP). ing party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front
(TPLF).
Regional unrest Both sides have accused each other of com-
At the end of December, relations worsened mitting atrocities during the fighting.
when Ethiopia appeared to criticise the human The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
rights situation in Egypt. summoned the Ethiopian chargé d’affaires to
Dina Mufti, the spokesperson of the Ethio- Cairo on December 30 to clarify the situation.
pian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “Egypt has Such political disputes over regional security

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