Egypt and Sudan have once again called for international mediation to end a long-running dispute over the construction of an Ethiopian dam on the Nile River that both countries fear could affect their waters.
The announcement comes as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visits Sudan for the first time since the ouster of former President Omar El-Bashir.
They said an agreement had to be reached before Ethiopia could begin the next phase of filling the dam in July this year. But the Addis Ababa government does not want more mediators.
The conflict appears to be exacerbating the region’s struggles with conflict and instability. Abdul Fattah al-Sisi held separate meetings with Sudanese civilian and military leaders to discuss a common position on the dam issue.
Egypt and Sudan have called for a new round of talks by expanding a mediation team that includes officials from the African Union, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.
BY OSMAN HUSSEIN ALI
