Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Tuesday the latest developments in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, the Egyptian presidency stated.
According to a statement, President El-Sisi expressed his appreciation for President Ramaphosa’s efforts during the GERD talks while chairing the African Union (AU) last year,.
He expressed his hope that this vital file would witness a hopeful and necessary progress in the upcoming period under AU chairmanship of Congo, and lead to a legally binding agreement that would protect Egypt’s water rights.
From his side, President Ramaphosa expressed his views on Egypt’s positive efforts during the GERD talks – under the auspices of the AU – in order to reach a solution for the issue.
The two leaders also discussed the arrangements for the upcoming AU meeting, which is going to be held via video conference next week.
El-Sisi also also congratulated Ramaphosa on his successful tenure as chairman of the AU in a very critical year with many challenges, on top of them the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier on Tuesday, El-Sisi discussed the latest developments in the GERD dispute with his Congolese Counterpart Félix Tshisekedi, the incoming AU chairperson, during a meeting held at Cairo.
According to a statement released by the Egyptian presidency, both leaders agreed to reinforce joint coordination to follow up on the developments of the GERD dispute.
