Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and the head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan during their meeting. Photo courtesy of Egyptian Presidential spokesman.
In a meeting in Cairo on Wednesday, both side asserted that such actions violate international law, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.
Al-Burhan stressed the unity of positions between the two countries and the alignment of their interests regarding the dam.
The two leaders agreed to strengthen coordination and consultation mechanisms to protect their shared water rights, the statement added.
The GERD, Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, has been at the centre of a decade-long dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.
Addis Ababa sees the dam as a flagship project for its development and energy needs, while downstream countries fear it could reduce their share of Nile waters.
Egypt, which depends on the Nile for more than 90 percent of its freshwater, has warned that Ethiopia’s unilateral filling and operation of the dam pose a threat to its water security.
Sudan has also raised similar concerns, warning that uncoordinated water releases could endanger its own dams and complicate flood management.
In late September, officials in Sudan blamed the lack of coordination over the dam’s operation for recent rises in the White Nile’s water levels, which triggered floods that swept through several riverside villages south of Khartoum.
Both Cairo and Khartoum have repeatedly called for a legally binding agreement on the dam’s filling and operation — a proposal Ethiopia has resisted throughout years of negotiations.
Despite the objections, Ethiopia has continued filling and operating the GERD, which it formally inaugurated in early September.
Supporting Sudanese gov’t
Meanwhile, El-Sisi and Al-Burhan tackled the situation on the ground in Sudan and ongoing international and regional efforts to end the war and restore stability.
El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s firm support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Egyptian presidency said.
He further rejected any attempts to threaten its security, undermine national cohesion or establish parallel governing bodies to the legitimate Sudanese government.
Al-Burhan expressed appreciation for Egypt’s continued backing, saying it reflected the depth of bilateral ties and supported Sudan’s efforts to overcome its crisis and restore peace.
The two leaders also underlined the importance of the Quadripartite Mechanism as a framework for resolving the conflict and achieving stability.
They voiced hope that the group’s upcoming meeting in Washington later this month would yield tangible progress toward ending the war.
The Quadripartite Mechanism, which includes Egypt, the US, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, aims to forge a comprehensive approach to ending the war, which broke out in April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The Mechanism also seeks to facilitate humanitarian aid and pave the way for an inclusive, civilian-led political transition in Sudan.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and created what the United Nations calls the world’s largest hunger and displacement crisis.
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