Latest news with #NileBasinInitiative
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- Egypt Independent
FM affirms Egypt's support for South Sudan's peaceful transition to stability
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty affirmed Egypt's aspiration for South Sudan to successfully complete its transitional phase and advance toward the establishment of a stable and cohesive state at the political, economic, and social levels. During a phone call on Monday, July 7th, 2025, the minister of foreign affairs discussed with South Sudanese Foreign Minister Semaya Kumba bilateral relations and regional developments of mutual concern. Abdelatty urged all parties in South Sudan to support the transitional process, foster consensus, prioritize the national interest and fully leverage the assistance provided by the international community and regional organizations. He reaffirmed Egypt's keenness on the security and stability of South Sudan, emphasizing the importance of advancing bilateral cooperation in line with the shared interests of both countries. The foreign minister also highlighted the deep-rooted mutual interests between Egypt and South Sudan in the various sectors, underscoring the importance of enhancing bilateral coordination. Abdelatty noted the steady growth of Egyptian investments in South Sudan over the past decade, particularly in the fields of education, agriculture, irrigation, and healthcare. He said the issue of Nile waters is existential for Egypt and that Egypt looks forward to a constructive stance from South Sudan – within the framework of achieving consensus in the Nile Basin Initiative – to address the concerns of the basin countries and to serve as a bridge for reaching solutions that ensure the realization of the shared interests of the Nile Basin states. For his part, Kumba commended longstanding historical ties between the two countries and reaffirmed South Sudan's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Egypt in all areas. He also expressed South Sudan's understanding of Egypt's water-related concerns and affirmed his country's commitment to engage constructively with Egypt in pursuit of their shared interests.
Middle East
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// FM affirms Egypt's support for South Sudan's peaceful transition to stability
CAIRO, July 7 (MENA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty affirmed Egypt's aspiration for South Sudan to successfully complete its transitional phase and advance toward the establishment of a stable and cohesive state at the political, economic, and social levels. During a phone call on Monday the minister of foreign affairs discussed with South Sudanese Foreign Minister Semaya Kumba bilateral relations and regional developments of mutual concern. Abdelatty urged all parties in South Sudan to support the transitional process, foster consensus, prioritize the national interest and fully leverage the assistance provided by the international community and regional organizations. He reaffirmed Egypt's keenness on the security and stability of South Sudan, emphasizing the importance of advancing bilateral cooperation in line with the shared interests of both countries. The foreign minister also highlighted the deep-rooted mutual interests between Egypt and South Sudan in the various sectors, underscoring the importance of enhancing bilateral coordination. Abdelatty noted the steady growth of Egyptian investments in South Sudan over the past decade, particularly in the fields of education, agriculture, irrigation, and healthcare. He said the issue of Nile waters is existential for Egypt and that Egypt looks forward to a constructive stance from South Sudan - within the framework of achieving consensus in the Nile Basin Initiative - to address the concerns of the basin countries and to serve as a bridge for reaching solutions that ensure the realization of the shared interests of the Nile Basin states. For his part, Kumba commended longstanding historical ties between the two countries and reaffirmed South Sudan's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Egypt in all areas. He also expressed South Sudan's understanding of Egypt's water-related concerns and affirmed his country's commitment to engage constructively with Egypt in pursuit of their shared interests. (MENA) R R N/S A S
Al-Ahram Weekly
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt, Sudan water security are inseparable: Egyptian, Sudanese officials - Foreign Affairs
Egypt and Sudan stated Monday that Sudanese and Egyptian water security are inseparable and form a single, unified entity, asserting their rejection of any unilateral actions that could harm their mutual water interests. This was stated in a joint statement issued by the foreign and irrigation ministers of Sudan and Egypt following their consultive meeting held on Monday in Cairo. Technical experts from both sides participated. The discussions seemed cordial and constructive, marking mutual understanding. The two sides reviewed areas of water cooperation and explored ways to strengthen them to serve the interests of the brotherly peoples of Sudan and Egypt. They agreed to reinforce the concept of water security and work jointly to safeguard the full water rights of both countries, as required by their agreements and the applicable rules of international law. Additionally, they emphasized the importance of coordinating their positions in various regional and international forums, particularly regarding water rights. They underscored the necessity of adhering to all relevant agreements and regional and international frameworks. They called on all parties to refrain from unilateral actions that could harm their shared water interests. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to working with the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) member states to restore consensus and bring the initiative back to its foundational principles of cooperation and inclusivity. They emphasized the importance of preserving the initiative as a comprehensive mechanism that includes all basin countries and serves as a cornerstone for achieving mutual water benefits. In this context, the two sides agreed to hold a high-level workshop, with the participation of relevant regional and international organizations, to discuss water-related issues and their impact on various sectors, including climate change and security in the Horn of Africa. Regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the two sides discussed recent developments and acknowledged the serious risks of Ethiopia's unilateral first dam filling, particularly concerning dam safety. They reaffirmed the importance of coordinating their efforts at regional, continental, and international levels to reach a comprehensive, fair, and legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of GERD. Both nations emphasized that the GERD issue concerns the three directly affected countries — Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia — without drawing other Nile Basin states into the dispute. They reiterated their commitment to achieving peaceful and political solutions. The discussions also covered ways to enhance developmental projects between the two countries to strengthen sectoral cooperation. The Sudanese delegation provided an overview of Sudan's priorities in the reconstruction process, particularly in water-related sectors, such as agriculture and hydroelectric power generation. Sudan also expressed its expectation of Egypt's active role in implementing the decisions of the 16th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Water, which supports Sudan's water sector, improves water supply in certain states, and rebuilds water infrastructure damaged by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. The Egyptian side affirmed its full support for Sudan's reconstruction efforts and welcomed collaboration to strengthen Sudan's water sector. Egypt also expressed its commitment to supporting Sudan's efforts to mobilize Arab resources to implement the Arab Ministerial Council's resolution on water. Both parties commended the outcomes of the extraordinary meeting of the Permanent Joint Technical Committee for Nile Waters, held at its Cairo office on 23 February 2025. They reaffirmed their commitment to the recommendations made regarding issues of mutual interest, particularly the Nile Basin Initiative and its consultative mechanism for non-signatory states to the negotiation framework. By the 1959 agreement, the committee remains the designated body responsible for formulating and presenting a unified stance on Nile water matters for both countries. The two sides also agreed to continue cooperation in training programmes between the Ministries of Water Resources and Irrigation of both countries. Egypt welcomed the opportunity to meet Sudan's urgent training needs in this field, particularly considering Sudan's ongoing reconstruction efforts, as guided by the outcomes of the joint reconstruction team meetings. Lastly, the discussions addressed broader bilateral relations, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to strengthening and deepening the historic ties that unite the peoples of Egypt and Sudan. Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
24-02-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egypt, Sudan Warn of Serious Risks from Ethiopia's Unilateral GERD Filling, Call for Peaceful Solutions
Egypt and Sudan have expressed serious concerns over Ethiopia's unilateral filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), emphasizing the potential risks, particularly regarding the dam's safety. In a joint statement issued today, both countries underscored the need for peaceful and political solutions to the ongoing dispute. The statement, published by Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Facebook, followed a consultative meeting of foreign and irrigation ministers from both countries held in Cairo. The meeting concluded with an agreement to organize a high-level workshop with regional and international organizations to discuss water-related issues and their impacts. Egypt and Sudan reaffirmed that the GERD dispute remains a matter solely involving Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, and stressed the importance of not involving other Nile Basin countries. They highlighted the necessity of coordinating efforts regionally and internationally to reach a comprehensive, fair, and legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. The statement emphasized that Sudan's and Egypt's water security are inseparable and called on all parties to avoid unilateral actions that could harm their water interests. Furthermore, the two nations reiterated their commitment to working with the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) countries to restore consensus and revive the NBI's foundational principles. They emphasized the importance of maintaining the initiative as a comprehensive cooperation mechanism that benefits all Nile Basin countries. The GERD, situated on the Blue Nile, has been a contentious issue since Ethiopia began construction in 2011. While Ethiopia sees the dam as crucial for its development and energy needs, Egypt and Sudan fear it could threaten their water security. Despite multiple negotiation rounds, the three nations have yet to reach a binding agreement on the dam's operation and water-sharing guidelines. Egypt and Sudan remain dedicated to pursuing diplomatic avenues and maintaining stability in the Nile Basin region through constructive dialogue and international cooperation.
Egypt Today
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Egypt, Sudan assert keenness on 'peaceful, political solutions' for Ethiopian Dam dispute
CAIRO – 24 February 2025: Cairo hosted Monday the consultation meeting among the Egyptian and Sudanese ministers of irrigation and foreign affairs as well as technical experts. The two sides discussed cooperation opportunities in the water sector and ways to leverage them. In that respect, they agreed on joining forces to preserve the water rights of both states in alignment with the bilateral agreements, and international law. They similarly agreed to coordinate stances on water affairs at the regional and international community levels. There was congruence that that the water security of each of Egypt and Sudan is intertwined. Hence, the two countries called upon "all parties to abstain from any unilateral actions that would jeopardize their water interests." They equally affirmed keenness on working with the Nile Basin Initiative to restore consensus. As a step forward, the two sides agreed on holding a high-level workshop to be attended by regional and international organizations concerned to exchange views on water issues and their impact on climate change and security in the Horn of Africa. The consultations tackled the updates of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), especially the perils of the unilateral filling of the reservoir in relation to its structure safety, agreeing to concert efforts on the African and global levels to reach a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. However, they stressed that the GERD dispute must remain among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia without dragging other Nile Basin countries to the matter. They similarly asserted eagerness for "peaceful and political solutions." The discussions further tapped on potential joint developmental projects, precisely in the sectors of reconstruction, agriculture, power generation, and rehabilitating water networks destroyed by the Rapid Support Force (RSF) militia in fulfillment of the resolutions of the 16th meeting of the Arab Water Ministers Council. In that framework, the Egyptian side pledged support to reconstructing the water sector in Sudan, and mobilizing necessary Arab support to carry out the relevant resolutions. The two sides valued the outcomes of the extraordinary meeting of their permanent technical authority on Nile water – established in 1959 - that took place in Cairo on Sunday. The recommendations focused on enhancing the consultation mechanism of the Nile Basin Initiative with non-member states. The meeting concluded by maintaining collaboration on training human resources working in the sectors of irrigation and water resources.
