KHARTOUM, 23 February 2021 – A former member of Sudan’s negotiating team on the controversial filling of Ethiopia’s mega dam on the Nile alleges the dam is on Sudanse land.
The ex-negotiator, Dr. Ahmed Al-Mufti, said Sudan granted the land to Ethiopia in 1902.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Mufti – Photo The Guardian
Khartoum granted the land on condition that Addis Ababa would not establish any water infrasttucture without Sudan’s approval, Dr. Ahmed Al-Mufti, told the Saudi-owned Alarabiya satellite channel on Sunday night.
Sudan could ask for the land to be returned to Sudanese sovereignty, Al-Mufti said in his interview on the pgoram Al Akhar (The Other Dimension).
He said Ethiopia built the $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Reconnaisance Dam (GERD) without first seeking the approval of Sudan.
Al-Mufti called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to stop Ethiopia from filling the second reservoir of the dam next July, as threatened by Addis Ababa.
A Session of GERD Negotiations – Photo Satenaw Ethiopian News
If nothing is done, this dispute or conflict over the controversial filling of the GERD will degenerate into Africa’s First Water War, Al-Mufti warned.
The former negotiator also warned that more than 20 million Sudanese people are in danger as a result of the GERD.
Ethiopia lies upstream of Sudan and Egypt on the Nile and the two neighboring countries downstream have said they expect Addis Ababa to secure a deal with them before filling the reservoir.
Ethiopia has not commented on the allegations by Al-Mufti.
