Sudan has rejected Ethiopia’s proposal to sign a partial agreement for the first filling of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, throwing the row over the Nile river into further uncertainty.
Sudanese Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, has instead, called for a tripartite agreement between Khartoum, Addis Ababa and Cairo, before the start of the first filling of the Renaissance Dam, expected in July.
Sudan’s stance effectively means there can’t be any deal that may sideline Egypt, the country that most needs the Nile waters.
Sudan stressed that the signing of any partial agreement for the first stage cannot be agreed upon due to technical and legal aspects that must be included in the agreement, including the coordination mechanism, data exchange, dam safety, environmental and social impacts.
Hamdok further argues that the current conditions may not allow negotiations through regular diplomatic channels, but they can be resumed through video conferences and other technology to complete the negotiation process and agree on the remaining points.
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