By: Menafn

Egypt and Sudan have jointly rejected any unilateral measures regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River, reaffirming that their water security is "one and indivisible."

The stance was announced in Cairo during a meeting under a “2+2” consultation mechanism that brought together the foreign and irrigation ministers from both countries.

A Shared Position on Water Security

In a joint statement, the two sides emphasized the need to secure their shared water security as the Nile's downstream countries. They stressed joint action to preserve their full rights and water uses in accordance with the governing legal framework of the river, international law, and the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement.

The two nations affirmed their commitment to enhance consultation and work with other Nile Basin Initiative states to restore consensus. However, they stressed that the GERD issue remains a matter exclusively between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, rejecting any attempts to involve other Nile Basin states in the dispute.

Call for Ethiopian Cooperation

Egypt and Sudan urged Ethiopia to revise its policy and restore cooperation among Nile Basin states. The two downstream countries have repeatedly voiced concerns over their water shares following the construction of the GERD. Years of trilateral negotiations have so far failed to produce a binding legal agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam.

Beyond the dam issue, the ministers also pledged to deepen ties between their countries and rejected any threat to Sudan's unity and territorial integrity, vowing further joint consultation to restore stability in Sudan.