The resolution emphasised the parliament’s solidarity with Egypt and Sudan in protecting their water security
Sama Osama , Sunday 17 Nov 2019
A file photo of Egypt’s Parliament (Photo: Reuters)
The president of the Arab Parliament Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salami stated on his official Twitter account on Sunday that he had sent a written message to the Ethiopian prime minister and the head of the Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives announcing the Arab Parliament’s solidarity with Egypt and Sudan in protecting their water security.
According to the statement, Al-Salami stressed in his message the importance of reaching a fair agreement on the filling and operating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as soon as possible, and in a way that protects the interests of all parties and does not harm anyone.
He also urged Ethiopia in his message not to do anything that might affect Egypt and Sudan’s shares of the Nile water, as it represents the source of life for both countries.
According to Al-Salami’s statement, the message he sent to Ethiopian officials also contained the text of the resolution agreed upon by the Arab Parliament at its session in Cairo on 30 October.
The resolution emphasised the parliament’s solidarity with Egypt and Sudan in protecting their water security, and its full support for all measures taken by Egypt.
The resolution also stressed the need to implement the agreements signed between the three countries regulating the issue of the mega-dam, and its rejection of any harm to the two countries’ legal and historical rights to the river.
Several years of tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the filling and operation of the new dam have so far failed to yield an agreement.
Earlier this month, the US hosted the three sides for a meeting in Washington, and a new timetable for negotiations was agreed.
The first of four trilateral meetings agreed on at the DC talks began on Friday in Addis Ababa. Representatives of the US and the World Bank attended the meeting as observers.
The second trilateral meeting will be in Cairo on 2-3 December.
The Arab Parliament is attached to the Arab League, of which Egypt and Sudan are both members.