Egypt Adheres to Agreement Preserving Its ‘Water Rights’

[The SC]

Wednesday, 17 June, 2020 - 09:45

Talks made significant progress in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s (GERD) technical matters. (AFP)

Cairo, Khartoum- Mohammed Abdo Hassanein and Mohammed Amin Yassine


Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan resumed negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) for the sixth day on Tuesday, in which “legal matters” were discussed.

Egypt adheres to signing “a comprehensive agreement to fill and operate the dam, legally binding Ethiopia to protect its water rights before starting the filling process of its reservoir early July, an official source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The source stressed the importance of completing “all technical and legal aspects of the agreement, including the dispute settlement mechanism, before announcing any positive outcomes of the negotiations.”

Talks have been held via videoconference, in the presence of observers from the United States, the European Union, and South Africa (President of the African Union).

Egypt pre-empted Tuesday’s meeting by brandishing “other options” in case parties fail to reach an agreement.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said his country will have to discuss other options like resorting to the UN Security Council, affirming that Ethiopia’s position “doesn’t indicate positive results.”

Sudanese Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Yasser Abbas has earlier revealed differences in the legal aspects on the agreement’s obligations and means of amendment.

Yet, he later announced that talks have so far made “significant progress in the technical matters.”

He said great progress has been made in the technical matters related to the dam's safety, the first filling and long-term operation, the exchange of data and environmental studies, and the Technical Committee for Cooperation.

The amount of flowing water throughout the year determines the number of years the dam will be filled, Abbas stressed, noting that future studies and environmental impacts are included in the negotiation documents.

Sudan had proposed raising the negotiations to the level of premiers in case a consensus is not reached, but Ethiopia and Egypt preferred to continue the negotiations at the current level, the Minister said.

A statement by Sudan’s Ministry of Irrigation on Monday pointed to the agreement among the three delegations to assign the legal teams to continue deliberations, in the observers’ presence.

According to Ethiopia's official news agency, parties reached an understanding during the meeting on Monday on the “first stage of filling, the volume of environmental flow, guidelines for the first stage of filling, approach to drought management rules, dam safety rules, the environmental and social impact of the assessment studies, and the entry of guidelines and rules into effect.”

Ethiopia stressed “the necessity of adopting an approach that guarantees the joint responsibility of the three countries in case of drought, while preserving the optimal operation of the dam."


https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2339281/egypt-adheres-agreement-preserving-its-‘water-rights’

 

[The SC]

Urgent: US National Security Council: The Ethiopian government must complete a fair settlement and reach an agreement before starting the process of mobilizing and filling the Renaissance Dam

 

[Aramagedon]

For sake of lives of millions Egyptians Israelis, Turkish enemies and Ethiopia need to get stopped.

If it was Iran it would bomb the dam in minutes but it seems Egypt is too much afraid of NATO enemy Turkey.

 

[The SC]

The Renaissance Dam will not produce more than 2000 megawatts, it is nothing compared to the needs of 110 million Ethiopian people.. What can it export from it!???

Egypt produces about 30,000 megawatts, which means 15 times the Ethiopian's Dam..So even with it fully operational Ethiopia does not get much electricity to its population, because it will not meet its own needs..


This is a farce, firstly, Ethiopia should assume that it will bear full responsibility for droughts and this should be one of the clearest terms of the agreement. Secondly, the period of filling the Dam should be the responsibility of Ethiopia, given that the project is Ethiopian and it is the main beneficiary, also electrical generation from the High Dam is not important, the important thing is the continuation of the water level reasonably not to be affected by drinking or irrigation, Egypt submitted a waiver with the approval of 7 years of filling period, now the ball is in the Ethiopian camp, generally the Ethiopians should know that the Nile waters for Egypt is a crucial issue that is not negotiable!

 

[kris]

For sake of lives of millions Egyptians Israelis, Turkish enemies and Ethiopia need to get stopped.

If it was Iran it would bomb the dam in minutes but it seems Egypt is too much afraid of NATO enemy Turkey.

Very good reasons to be called a rogue state and get attacked back..
Even Iran wouldn't do that

Ethiopia has strong legal points in its support, same goes with Egypt. But that does not give them the right to attack a dam

The Renaissance Dam will not produce more than 2000 megawatts, it is nothing compared to the needs of 110 million Ethiopian people.. What can it export from it!???

Egypt produces about 30,000 megawatts, which means 15 times the Ethiopian's Dam..So even with it fully operational Ethiopia does not get much electricity to its population, because it will not meet its own needs..


This is a farce, firstly, Ethiopia should assume that it will bear full responsibility for droughts and this should be one of the clearest terms of the agreement. Secondly, the period of filling the Dam should be the responsibility of Ethiopia, given that the project is Ethiopian and it is the main beneficiary, also electrical generation from the High Dam is not important, the important thing is the continuation of the water level reasonably not to be affected by drinking or irrigation, Egypt submitted a waiver with the approval of 7 years of filling period, now the ball is in the Ethiopian camp, generally the Ethiopians should know that the Nile waters for Egypt is a crucial issue that is not negotiable!

I don't know where you got the number 2gw, wiki says that dam can produce 6.5gw
Electricity consumption of every developing nation keeps on increasing day by day... Not a valid argument.
I can understand the pain if Egypt, but why cry now if Egypt hasn't prepared for the rainy day?? Any legal options available?

 

[The SC]

Very good reasons to be called a rogue state and get attacked back..
Even Iran wouldn't do that

Ethiopia has strong legal points in its support, same goes with Egypt. But that does not give them the right to attack a dam


I don't know where you got the number 2gw, wiki says that dam can produce 6.5gw
Electricity consumption of every developing nation keeps on increasing day by day... Not a valid argument.
I can understand the pain if Egypt, but why cry now if Egypt hasn't prepared for the rainy day?? Any legal options available?

It has been updated to not more than 2 GW..
It is mostly the Ethiopian pain you should be talking about.. Egypt did put all the options on the table and never threatened to hit the Dam.. where did you get that from..? and who told you Egypt did not prepare for the rainy days?
In fact, there are few projects worth knowing about.. one with almost one million hectares of agriculture, another one of close to one million and a half hectares and yet another one of almost four hundred thousand hectares.. they all have their irrigation already planned for and insured.. not mentioning smaller agricultural projects all over Egypt..
So what you need to understand is that all what Egypt wants is to keep its part of the waters from the Nile.. not less and not more..And Ethiopia should take that in consideration.. because according to the international waters law they are bonded to do just that.. so here you go about legalities too..


"Increased rainfall variability in the Nile river basin could also present a risk to the operation of the dam itself. The GERD is only likely to be able to operate at peak capacity during the few months of the year when rainfall is highest in the Ethiopian highlands. It is likely that the plant will only reach its maximum generating capacity 28 per cent of the time – which is relatively low compared to other hydropower plants and is inappropriate for meeting Ethiopian electricity demand. Lower rainfall will only serve to further reduce the efficiency of the plant, a problem that is already occurring at many Ethiopian hydropower facilities."

"The smooth operation of the 1959 Nile Water Agreement shows that water sharing arrangements are possible between the major countries of the Nile River basin. Since the construction of the GERD began in 2011 there has been a steady move away from sabre rattling and outright threats towards conciliatory negotiation. Provided that there is compromise on the filling of the GERD reservoir and annual water quotas, there is every chance that a co-operative water sharing agreement will develop in the region. If it does, that will give the region the greatest opportunity to secure its food and water resources."

http://www.futuredirections.org.au/...ce-dam-power-for-ethiopia-disaster-for-egypt/

 

[kris]

It has been updated to not more than 2 GW..
It is mostly the Ethiopian pain you should be talking about.. Egypt did put all the options on the table and never threatened to hit the Dam.. where did you get that from..? and who told you Egypt did not prepare for the rainy days?
In fact, there are few projects worth knowing about.. one with almost one million hectares of agriculture, another one of close to one million and a half hectares and yet another one of almost four hundred thousand hectares.. they all have their irrigation already planned for and insured.. not mentioning smaller agricultural projects all over Egypt..
So what you need to understand is that all what Egypt wants is to keep its part of the waters from the Nile.. not less and not more..And Ethiopia should take that in consideration.. because according to the international waters law they are bonded to do just that.. so here you go about legalities too..


"Increased rainfall variability in the Nile river basin could also present a risk to the operation of the dam itself. The GERD is only likely to be able to operate at peak capacity during the few months of the year when rainfall is highest in the Ethiopian highlands. It is likely that the plant will only reach its maximum generating capacity 28 per cent of the time – which is relatively low compared to other hydropower plants and is inappropriate for meeting Ethiopian electricity demand. Lower rainfall will only serve to further reduce the efficiency of the plant, a problem that is already occurring at many Ethiopian hydropower facilities."

"The smooth operation of the 1959 Nile Water Agreement shows that water sharing arrangements are possible between the major countries of the Nile River basin. Since the construction of the GERD began in 2011 there has been a steady move away from sabre rattling and outright threats towards conciliatory negotiation. Provided that there is compromise on the filling of the GERD reservoir and annual water quotas, there is every chance that a co-operative water sharing agreement will develop in the region. If it does, that will give the region the greatest opportunity to secure its food and water resources."

http://www.futuredirections.org.au/...ce-dam-power-for-ethiopia-disaster-for-egypt/

Reading from the source you gave
1) dam runs at 28% maximal capacity, but no source or calculations given how they came to such conclusions.
2) Historical aspects of agreements on nile water sharing where many countries are left out - doesn't seem acceptable by current standards.
3) Egypt can't stop the dam construction but want to delay the filling of dam to be over a period of 15 years. (Too much to ask for)
4) Dam can be beneficial for Egypt too specially in dry years.
5) Egypt has increasingly become reliant on food imports over years (not good planning imo)

No catastrophic events are predicted in this event for Egypt.

 

[The SC]

Reading from the source you gave
1) dam runs at 28% maximal capacity, but no source or calculations given how they came to such conclusions.
2) Historical aspects of agreements on nile water sharing where many countries are left out - doesn't seem acceptable by current standards.
3) Egypt can't stop the dam construction but want to delay the filling of dam to be over a period of 15 years. (Too much to ask for)
4) Dam can be beneficial for Egypt too specially in dry years.
5) Egypt has increasingly become reliant on food imports over years (not good planning imo)

No catastrophic events are predicted in this event for Egypt.

1) Do the Math..
2) That was in 1959.. how was Africa then?
3) that was the initial calculations..now Egypt has accepted 7 years instead..there is a whole thread about it ..
4) Yes..indeed.. but it is better to be guaranteed legally too..so no one plays with that
5) Mostly wheat..new projects tend to put Egypt in the self sufficiency food wise

Indeed.. it is the filling of the Dam in 3 years that presented high risks ..

All this was discussed in my previous post..

 

[HAIDER]

1) Do the Math..
2) That was in 1959.. how was Africa then?
3) that was the initial calculations..now Egypt has accepted 7 years instead..there is a whole thread about it ..
4) Yes..indeed.. but it is better to be guaranteed legally too..so no one plays with that
5) Mostly wheat..new projects tend to put Egypt in the self sufficiency food wise

Indeed.. it is the filling of the Dam in 3 years that presented high risks ..

All this was discussed in my previous post..

We been hearing this dam for last many years, why not issue resolved when it started. If its illegal, then its time for Egypt to show some muscle. They have Mirage 2000 for AtoG mission

 

[The SC]

We been hearing this dam for last many years, why not issue resolved when it started. If its illegal, then its time for Egypt to show some muscle. They have Mirage 2000 for AtoG mission

View attachment 642790

It is not illegal..in the first place..the problem was the time of filling it up..Ethiopia wanted 3 years..Egypt asked for 15 years..and now settled for 7 years..Seems all is going good diplomatically now..So no need for war..

 

[kris]

1) Do the Math..
2) That was in 1959.. how was Africa then?
3) that was the initial calculations..now Egypt has accepted 7 years instead..there is a whole thread about it ..
4) Yes..indeed.. but it is better to be guaranteed legally too..so no one plays with that
5) Mostly wheat..new projects tend to put Egypt in the self sufficiency food wise

Indeed.. it is the filling of the Dam in 3 years that presented high risks ..

All this was discussed in my previous post..

1) not my domain.
2) countries were there in some form or other.. even when they are not independent
3) Is the stance acceptable to Ethiopia?
4) For that Egypt too has to put something on table
5) wish such programmes reach fruition fast

 

[The SC]

1) not my domain.
2) countries were there in some form or other.. even when they are not independent
3) Is the stance acceptable to Ethiopia?
4) For that Egypt too has to put something on table
5) wish such programmes reach fruition fast

1) 28% of 6 GW.. 50% would be 3GW..what is almost half of that? And the reason is because the rain season is just a few months a year!
2) Tell that to the brits..
3)It seems so..technicalities were accepted by both parts..actually Sudan too..so all the three..
4)The Nile goes downstream from Ethiopia not upstream from Egypt..
5) They are.. now Egypt is self sufficient in poultry and almost in eggs, and fish too almost ...Fist world exporter of many agri-products.. and much much more..and this was reached in just the last 5 years..So all is good..

 

[kris]

1) 28% of 6 GW.. 50% would be 3GW..what is almost half of that? And the reason is because the rain season is just a few months a year!
2) Tell that to the brits..
3)It seems so..technicalities were accepted by both parts..actually Sudan too..so all the three..
4)The Nile goes downstream from Ethiopia not upstream from Egypt..
5) They are.. now Egypt is self sufficient in poultry and almost in eggs, and fish too almost ...Fist world exporter of many agri-products.. and much much more..and this was reached in just the last 5 years..So all is good..

4) Even then there should always be give and take in an agreement..
International laws protect both upper riperan and lower riparian states interests