Uhuru Address AU Mediation Meeting on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
From president.go.ke
(PSCU) – President Uhuru Kenyatta has commended the progress made towards the resolution of the stand-off between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the utilization of the Nile River water.
The President said the African Union (AU) led mediation process, in which Kenya holds observer status, has shown that Africa can find homegrown solutions to its challenges.
“This process has vividly shown that ‘African solutions to African problems’ is the way to go. We can resolve our disputes through negotiations and mediation within the framework of the African Union,” he said.
The President spoke this evening during a virtual meeting of the AU Bureau convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa to asses the progress made in the AU led process to resolve the stand-off.
The dispute over the Nile River water was ignited by the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a mega hydroelectric power project upstream on the Blue Nile.
President Kenyatta reiterated Kenya’s support for the AU led tripartite negotiation and applauded the three countries for their commitment to find a “mutually acceptable and sustainable resolution” of the dispute.
He commended the AU panel of experts leading the negotiations for the progress towards the achievement of a win-win outcome for the parties involved.
“I further join the Chair and Colleagues in commending our distinguished experts for the detailed feedback report and the progress made in the negotiations within a short timeframe, despite the complexity of some of the issues that they’ve had to deal with,” President Kenyatta said.
The President however cautioned the three countries against unilateral decisions that may derail the process of resolving the dispute.
“I urge all stakeholders to continue adhering to the commitment and to refrain from taking actions or making statements that may jeopardize the negotiation process and reverse the gains made so far,” he cautioned.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia said his country fully supports the AU led process to resolve the conflict.
PM Ahmed said Ethiopia looks forward to a comprehensive agreement that will earn all parties to the dispute a win-win outcome.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok of Sudan called for a speedy resolution of outstanding legal and technical issues while President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt said the negotiations should lead to a binding treaty.
The meeting was also addressed by Presidents Felix Tshisekedi (DRC) and Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali) as well as AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.
