NEW YORK – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) envoy to the UN underlined the importance of the role of the UN Security Council and the African Union in settling the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as part of endeavors to work out a peaceful solution in this important part of the Horn of Africa region.
Addressing a UN session on GERD issue convened at a request from Egypt and Sudan, the DRC envoy, reading out a speech on behalf of his country’s head of government, said the dam is threatening Sudan and Egypt whose economies depend on the River Nile, leading to heightened tensions over the past years among the three countries.
He went on to say that a group of initiatives have been adopted in an attempt to settle the crisis including mediation efforts by the US and the World Bank, a debate at the UNSC and African Union-sponsored talks, among others.
The DRC envoy reiterated that the main contentious issues among the three parties are related to the dam’s filling and operation rules, asserting that DRC President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi fully believes in the possibility of resolving the dispute as long as there is a common willingness among the various parties.
He also underscored the role of UNSC in settling international disputes, shedding light on the Declaration of Principles proclaimed by the three countries in 2015 which stipulated respect for collaborative actions and reasonable and equitable utilization of water resources as well as peaceful settlement of any conflicts.
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