France’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nicolas de Riviere, said yesterday, Thursday, that the UN Security Council will likely meet next week to discuss the dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam that Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile. Last month, the Arab countries invited the Security Council to meet to discuss the issue of the dam and Ethiopia’s plans to implement the second phase of filling its reservoir this summer without an agreement with Sudan and Egypt.
Ethiopia is not interested in the Security Council’s intervention, and instead requested That the Council refer the case to the African Union. Ethiopia has previously rejected calls from Egypt and Sudan to involve mediators from outside the African Union in negotiations to find a solution to the crisis.
De Riviere, the council’s president for the month of July, indicated that the council had little it could do. Other than bringing the parties together to express their concerns, some of which he stressed are legitimate, and then encouraging them to return to negotiations to reach a solution. He added, “I don’t think the council can do more than that.”
He explained that the Security Council session on the Renaissance Dam, which will be held next Thursday, “may Some (others) foreign ministers participate in it, in addition to the three countries” concerned with the issue, i.e. Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.
He added in response to a question regarding the second filling of the dam: “The Security Council will not be able to resolve this issue.” And he added: “This file is between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, and these three countries should talk among themselves and reach logistical arrangements regarding cooperation and participation in water quotas.”
He continued: “Frankly, I do not think that the Security Council has Logistics expertise to decide how much water should go to Egypt or Sudan.. This matter is beyond the scope and ability of the Security Council.”
Ethiopia is pinning its hopes on economic development and electricity generation on the dam, while feeling Sudan and Egypt are concerned and are seeking to conclude a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam.
) Renaissance Dam (archive)
Egypt relies on the Nile River for up to 90% of fresh water, and the dam is considered an existential threat to it. For its part, Sudan is concerned about the operation of its dams on the Nile and water stations.
On Tuesday, Egypt announced that it had sent the file related to the dam to the United Nations, while its Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Saturday that it had made contacts to hold a Security Council session on the matter.
Addis Ababa insists on implementing a second filling of the dam with water in July and August, even if it did not reach an agreement on it, and says that it does not aim to harm Khartoum and Cairo, and that the aim of the dam is to generate electricity for development purposes.)
