Ethiopia and Egypt have reached an agreement to restart negotiations concerning the controversial hydroelectric mega-dam being constructed by Addis Ababa on the Blue Nile river.
The nearing completion of the dam has caused diplomatic tensions between the two countries, with Egypt expressing concerns about potential impacts on its vital water supplies, while Ethiopia sees it as a crucial component of its plan to provide electricity to millions of households.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi met in Cairo, where they agreed to engage in talks specifically regarding the filling of the dam’s reservoir.
They also aimed to finalize their agreements within four months, as stated in a joint statement from the Ethiopian prime minister’s office.
The dam’s reservoir has been gradually filled during the past three rainy seasons while the dam wall was being constructed. Egypt and Sudan, as downstream countries, objected to this action since it occurred without a binding agreement among all three nations.
The decision to resume talks has received commendation from the African Union. Construction of the dam began in 2011 and was initially projected to be completed within six years.