South Africa, current mediator in a long-running feud over Ethiopia’s dam on the Blue Nile, on Thursday urged talks to continue despite threats of suspension and walkout. Egypt on Tuesday called for a halt in the talks while Sudan threatened to withdraw, rattling efforts to calm the dispute. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been a source of tension in the Nile River basin ever since Ethiopia broke ground on it in 2011. Egypt and Sudan view the dam as a threat to vital water supplies, while Ethiopia considers it crucial for its electrification and development. Ethiopia, he said, now insisted that the deal on the dam be linked to the wider question of sharing the waters of the Blue Nile.

Source: Ethiopian News August 06, 2020 10:41 UTC