United Arab Emirates (UAE) seeks to facilitate the stalled talks over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Dam (GERD), said the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) on Wednesday.

The official agency said a delegation including senior officials from the UAE’s foreign ministry was in a one-day visit to Khartoum to in an effort to break the stalled discussions between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia over the giant dam.

“The Emirati delegation was briefed by officials from the foreign affairs and irrigation ministries about the Sudanese on the GERD,” said the agency quoting an anonymous official source.

“The Emirati initiative did not come at the request of Sudan,” stressed the official.

The UAE has strong economic cooperation with the Ethiopian government as part of its plans to enhance its investments and diplomatic presence in the Horn of Africa.

There have been reports in Khartoum about a UAE’s initiative to end the border dispute between Sudan and Ethiopia.

On Tuesday, the foreign ministry in Abu Dhabi released a statement expressing concern about the border tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia.

The statement further urged the two countries “to listen to the voice of wisdom, to dialogue together and to stop any actions that would increase tension”.