Tripartite Session of Talks on Renaissance Dam Starts in Khartoum

Khartoum, (SUNA) – A tripartite session of talks on the Renaissance Dam started Saturday morning at Al-Salam Rotana Hotel in Khartoum at the level of water ministers in the three countries Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia, with the participation of observers from the US Treasury and the World Bank.

Head of Sudan delegation for the negotiations and Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Prof. Yasser Abbas, has affirmed at the opening sitting the necessity of adherence to the International Law, especially the rules of equitable use of water without causing harm to any party.

Abbas expressed his hope that progress during this session would be achieved and said: in this meeting the parties need to discuss basic issues such as the filling and operation of the dam and the minimum annual discharge in addition to the normal operation and the operation during drought and the mechanism of operational coordination between the three countries.

The head of the Sudanese side expressed optimism that the views between the three delegations would be closer and that progress would be reached regarding the rules for the filling and operation.

Meanwhile, Sudan delegation has put forward a proposal on the controversial issues, and in the light of that the delegation of Ethiopia and Egypt, presented their proposals on the rules of the first filling and the operation in periods of drought and long drought.

There was lengthy discussion on the proposals and through which a convergence in views has appeared on the rules of filling and operation.

The three delegations agreed to continue the discussions tomorrow (Sunday).