Egypt agrees with Ethiopia, Sudan to prioritise reaching a binding deal on filling, operating GERD: Presidency

Egypt agrees with Ethiopia, Sudan to prioritise reaching a binding deal on filling, operating GERD: Presidency

Egypt has agreed with Ethiopia and Sudan to prioritise reaching a binding deal on the filling and operating of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a statement from the Egyptian presidency read on Tuesday following an African mini-summit on the issue.

"It was agreed to continue the negotiations in the current time to reach a binding legal agreement on the rules of filling and operating the Renaissance Dam, while work will continue later to reach a comprehensive agreement on the types of joint cooperation between the three countries concerning the use of the Nile,“ the Egyptian statement read.

Over years of negotiations, Ethiopia has always backtracked on signing a binding deal, including during the talks brokered by Washington that faltered in February, and the round of talks in June that led to Egypt's escalating the matter to the United Nations Security Council.

Cairo, Addis Ababa and Khartoum said that they have agreed to resume technical talks concerning some outstanding issued following the Tuesday summit between the three countries, but without giving more details about the date.

The mini-summit was hosted by South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current head of the African Union, and saw the participation of five other