Sudan calls for summit to resolve disputes over dam

KHARTOUM, Sudan

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has called for a tripartite summit between himself and his Ethiopian and Egyptian counterparts to resolve disputes over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Sudanese Council of Ministers said late Tuesday.

The statement said the meeting between the three prime ministers would be held within the next 10 days but did not say wither it would be in Khartoum or another capital.

“Sudan’s PM Hamdok has sent invitations to Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed and for Egyptian PM Mustafa Madboli for a tripartite summit according to Article 10 of the declaration of principles that was signed between the three countries in 2015,” the statement said.

Hamdok warned in his message to the two prime ministers that the talks have been deadlocked while construction of the dam has reached an advance stage, which makes it urgent to reach a solution before its second filling.

"According to the failure of the recent meetings in the DRC to achieve a breakthrough, Sudan is calling for a closed meeting between the leadership of the three countries” it added, referring to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sudan has repeatedly warned that the second filling of the dam without its approval would compromise the safety of the Sudanese Roseires Dam and endanger the lives of people living in the surrounding area.