Nile Waters

After media reports on Wednesday that Ethiopia has started impounding the Blue Nile at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, without having concluded an agreement with Egypt and Sudan on the matter, the two downstream countries asked Addis Ababa for an explanation.

Sudan and Egypt fear that the dam will critically reduce the flow of Nile waters, on which the latter is particularly reliant. Negotiators have thus far failed to reach an accord due to disagreements over issues such as how to mitigate future dry periods and resolve disputes. Crisis Group expert Will Davison says the overarching problem is mistrust, which this week’s filling spat may exacerbate. The parties should return to talks as soon as possible and seek compromises on outstanding issues, which may involve third parties assessing disputes and verifying hydrological data.