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rapid decarbonisation will require a variety parties on the road to net-zero and a green A day earlier, the Egyptian Embassy
of policy shifts and investments, including recovery,” he concluded. in London organized a webinar with UK
intensifying renewable energy commitments, Among other areas, the enhanced hydrologists and experts in African affairs, to
resolving market and regulatory barriers, cooperation between IRENA and GWEC discuss the GERD negotiations and explain
improving access to finance and expanding will focus on: strengthening wind energy Egypt’s efforts to reach a fair agreement and
the pipeline of bankable projects. Around a project facilitation in the Climate Investment to highlight the dangers of failing to reach
third of all new renewable power capacity Platform; engaging the wind industry in consensus on the GERD filling and operation,
added in 2019 was from wind power and Industry-Government Dialogues, Investment Hafez said in another tweet.
IRENA data suggests wind – together with Forums and other arenas for knowledge The three countries have conducted several
solar – will dominate future capacity growth. exchange; and exploring open-source meetings under the brokerage of the African
Wind energy is a cornerstone of the global agreements and project templates for wind Union (AU) over the last few months, but they
energy transformation and with evolving projects in emerging markets in order to reached a stalemate every round they held on
technologies and a strengthening economic mitigate legal risks and barriers. The parties the technical and legal points of contention.
case, it will continue to support the world’s agree to work collaboratively to minimise Late October, Egyptian Minister of Water
low-carbon growth agenda through to regulatory, legal and administrative barriers to Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-
mid-century,” said Francesco La Camera, investment in wind and renewable energy, and Atti in an interview with “From Cairo” T.V.
Director General at IRENA. “By blending the enhance international dialogues and actions program on Sky News Arabia said that
knowledge, capabilities and convening power on increasing the share of renewable energy in Ethiopia is responsible for the failure of
of our two organisations, we can jointly work the global energy mix. reaching a comprehensive agreement with the
to address policy and investment barriers IRENA Nile downstream countries [Egypt and Sudan]
and create an enabling environment for wind regarding the operation and the filling of its
energy.” dam.
Ben Backwell, CEO at GWEC added: “On HYDRO The conflict between Egypt, Sudan, and
behalf of the global wind industry, we look Ethiopia dates back to May 2011 when
forward to strengthening our partnership Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia Ethiopia started building the dam; Egypt
and work with IRENA through the Climate voiced concern over its water share [55.5
Investment Platform and other important resume talks on billion cubic meters]. Three years later, a
initiatives. It is more important than ever series of tripartite talks between the two
that intergovernmental institutions work Renaissance Dam countries along with Sudan began to reach an
collaboratively with industry in pursuit of agreement, while Ethiopia continued the dam
shared sustainable development goals. Another round of tripartite negotiations construction.
“There is no question that we must between Foreign Ministers and Water In 2015, the three countries signed
urgently take action to reduce carbon Ministers of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia the Declaration of Principles, per which
emissions and act collectively to slow the on the controversial Grand Ethiopian the downstream countries should not be
impacts of climate change; accelerating the Renaissance Dam (GERD) kicked off last negatively affected by the construction of
development of renewable energy is one week. the dam. In October 2019, Egypt blamed
of the most effective ways to achieve these The meeting was held held via video Addis Ababa for hindering a final agreement
objectives. Wind energy, as a scalable, clean conference, said Egyptian Foreign Ministry concerning a technical problem, calling for
and affordable technology, will be critical to Spokesman Ahmed Hafez on his Twitter activating Article No. 10 of the Declaration of
supporting countries, companies and other account. Principles, which stipulates that if the three

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