FM delivers Sisi’s message to SA President on GERD

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri has delivered a message from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on the latest developments in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and Egyptian position in this regard, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said Tuesday.

Shoukry discussed in his meeting with the South African President the latest developments of GERD issues including the results of the latest round of talks between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan in Kinshasa, stressing that Egypt was keen to launch a serious negotiation path to reach a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam that meets the best interests of the three downstream countries, Hafez added.

Foreign Minister Shoukry said Cairo greatly appreciates efforts exerted by Cape Town regarding the Renaissance Dam file.

The meeting took up the outcome of the latest Kinshasa talks, with Egypt reiterating the need to start serious negotiations that would lead to a binding legal agreement about the filling and operation of the dam and preserve interests and rights of the three downstream countries – Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, Hafez added.

Shoukry also discussed with President Ramaphosa Egyptian-South African bilateral relations, where he stressed the Egyptian will to boost relations between the two countries in all fields.

On Sunday, Shoukri embarked on an African tour to hand over messages from President Sisi to the leaders of six African countries, including Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, DR Congo, Tunisia and the Comoros, according to the Foreign Ministry spokesman.South Africa was the third stop for Shoukry in his African tour following Kenya and Comoros on Monday.

The tour aims to brief the African leaders on the latest developments in the GERD issue and Egypt’s position on the urgent need to reach a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the controversial giant hydro-power dam on the Blue Nile,before Ethiopia unilaterally proceeds with the second phase of filling, the dam.