One day after an online summit, Ethiopia says it will start filling dam in 2 weeks

One day after an online summit, Ethiopia says it will start filling dam in 2 weeks

Ethiopia will start filling its $5 billion hydroelectric dam on the Nile River in two weeks, the Ethiopian government said, according to Anadolu Agency.

The announcement came on Saturday, one day after an online summit between leaders of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt convened by the African Union (AU) for negotiations on guidelines for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office said the three countries have agreed to continue dialogue and reach a deal within the next two weeks.

"Ethiopia is scheduled to begin filling the GERD within the next two weeks, during which the remaining construction work will continue. It is in this period that the three countries have agreed to reach a final agreement on a few pending matters,“ it said in a statement. "The meeting also resolved to notify the United Nations Security Council that the Africa Union is seized of the matter.“

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, current chair of the AU, presided over the meeting, which was attended by representatives of the Bureau of the AU Assembly, comprising Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali.

AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat participated in the discussions.

All officials urged Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt "to cease unnecessary media