Egypt heads to South Sudan amid stalled Nile dam dispute
Egypt’s minister of irrigation and water resources, Mohamed Abdel Aty, visited South Sudan recently to discuss joint projects between the two countries, in addition to the latest developments on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam crisis.
CAIRO — Amid the stalled negotiations on Ethiopia’s controversial dam on the Nile River, Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel Aty headed to South Sudan for an official visit from June 21-25.
Abdel Aty met with several officials in South Sudan, including the vice president for economic cluster, James Wani Igga, and the presidential affairs minister, Barnaba Marial.
In a statement released June 24, Abdel Aty said he “explored with senior officials in South Sudan the developments on the Nile waters issue and the current stance vis-a-vis the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam negotiations.”
Abdel Aty further stressed “Egypt’s intention to proceed with the negotiations to reach a fair, legal and binding agreement for everyone to meet the development ambitions of all states.” He also noted Egypt’s flexibility in the negotiations on the dam in recent years, as opposed to Ethiopia’s clear intransigence.
