Sudan Ready To Take GERD Dispute With Ethiopia To Int'l Arbitrage - Al-Burhan

Sudan supports taking the dispute over Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam to an international arbitration court if this helps resolve the issue, The head of Sudan's Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said Thursday

DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2021) Sudan supports taking the dispute over Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam to an international arbitration court if this helps resolve the issue, The head of Sudan's Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said Thursday.

"Of course we seeking any form of help that will push the sides to reach and agreement," Burhan said at a press conference during a visit to Qatar, where he was asked about Sudan's willingness to take the dispute to an international court, to the UN or to the Security Council.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi said that Ethiopia damaged relations with its downstream neighbors, Sudan and Egypt, by saying that halting Renaissance Dam construction would cost a billion Dollars, without taking into account possible damage that would otherwise be inflicted on downstream countries by water shortages.

After a months-long break, a fresh round of the talks resumed on Sunday in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which presides over the African Union (AU) mediating the process.

Last year, the negotiations were conducted under the auspices of South Africa, which headed the AU. Ethiopia said that the next round could take place in late April.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been under construction since 2012 and will become the largest dam in Africa when completed. However, the project triggered disputes with Egypt and Sudan that both fear that the dam would undermine their water security. The talks between the three countries on a final agreement that would resolve all contradictions on the use of Nile's water and the dam's work repeatedly hit a deadlock.

Ethiopia has already concluded the first stage of filling the dam reservoir and plans to start the next stage during this summer's rainy season. Sudan has already voiced concerns that this risks partially depriving the country of electricity generation.