Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia Resume Dialogue Over the Blue Nile Dam

Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia Monday resumed a new round of talks on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

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"The parties agreed to continue experts-level negotiations and to return to the talks at the ministerial level on August 6," Sudan's Irrigation & Water Resources Ministry stated.

The differences experienced caused the dialogues about the GERD to be paralyzed. In this situation, the African Union has served as a mediator.

The talks came a day after tens of thousands of Ethiopians took to the streets of their capital, Addis Ababa, in a government-backed rally to celebrate the first stage of the filling of the GERD’s 74 billion-cubic-meter reservoir.

Ethiopia’s announcement sparked fear and confusion downstream in Sudan and Egypt, both of which have repeatedly rejected the filling of the massive reservoir without reaching a deal.

Ethiopia says the dam will provide electricity to citizens and make the country a major power exporter.

The dam's full functioning, however, is rejected by Egypt. For this country, that infrastructure would cut off the influx of water into its territory and cause drought.

Sudan, which is between the two countries, also argues that the mega project could endanger its own dams. However, that country could benefit from the GERD because it would provide cheap electricity and reduce flooding.