CAIRO — Egypt announced June 19 that it has officially called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to restart the tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and ensure a fair and balanced solution to the dispute is reached. 

The Egyptian appeal came hours after Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew told the Associated Press that his country will move ahead with filling the GERD without an agreement, adding, “We are working hard to reach a deal, but still we will go ahead with our schedule whatever the outcome is.”

Meanwhile, in a June 20 speech at an air base, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that Egypt's turning to the Security Council is intended to continue the political and diplomatic process. “We need to move strongly toward concluding the negotiations and reach an agreement … and solutions that achieve the interests of all,” he said.

Speaking during a June 15 video symposium organized by the Egyptian Business Council for International Cooperation, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said his country may turn to the Security Council “to prevent Ethiopia from taking unilateral measures that may undermine Egyptian water rights,” in response to what Egypt described as Ethiopia’s “intransigence” during the negotiations.