*'Unilateral measures threatening regional peace'
The Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level in its extraordinary session on Tuesday in Doha, expressed serious concerns regarding Ethiopia's announcement about its intention to fill the reservoir of the Renaissance dam during the upcoming flood season this summer.
A statement in this regard was issued following briefings by the foreign ministers of Sudan and Egypt on the developments related to the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the results of the recent rounds of negotiations under the auspices of the African Union with the aim of reaching an agreement on the rules for filling and operating it.
The session recalled the relevant decisions of the Council of the League of Arab States, the latest of which was issued by the extraordinary session at the ministerial level on June 23, 2020, as well as the decision issued by the 153rd ordinary session at the ministerial level on March 4, 2020.
The session described the Ethiopian decision as a unilateral procedure that violates the binding and mandatory rules of international law - in particular the agreement of the principals' announcement among the three countries in Khartoum on March 23, 2015 - which would harm the water interests of Egypt and Sudan, especially the Roseires Dam in Sudan.
It was demanded that Ethiopia should stop taking any unilateral measures that harm the water interests of Egypt and Sudan, including stopping the filling of the reservoir of the Renaissance dam without reaching an agreement on the rules to fill and operate the dam.
The session acknowledged the correspondences sent by both the Egyptian and Sudanese foreign ministers to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and agreed with their contents regarding the warning on the consequences on the regional and international peace and security if a just settlement is not reached on the issue of the Renaissance Dam.
The session urged the UNSC to assume its responsibilities in this regard by holding an urgent consultative meeting on the subject and take the necessary procedures to launch an effective negotiation process that guarantees reaching a legally binding, just and balanced agreement in a definite timeframe on the Renaissance Dam, considering the interests of the three countries.
The session also called upon the Arab member in the UNSC (currently Tunisia) and the committee (which includes Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Iraq) formed according to the decision of the extraordinary round of the council of the Arab League on June 23, 2020, which is tasked with following up the case and co-ordinate accordingly with the UNSC to intensify their efforts and continue to closely co-ordinate with Sudan and Egypt on the future plans in this regard.
A statement in this regard was issued following briefings by the foreign ministers of Sudan and Egypt on the developments related to the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the results of the recent rounds of negotiations under the auspices of the African Union with the aim of reaching an agreement on the rules for filling and operating it.
The session recalled the relevant decisions of the Council of the League of Arab States, the latest of which was issued by the extraordinary session at the ministerial level on June 23, 2020, as well as the decision issued by the 153rd ordinary session at the ministerial level on March 4, 2020.
The session described the Ethiopian decision as a unilateral procedure that violates the binding and mandatory rules of international law - in particular the agreement of the principals' announcement among the three countries in Khartoum on March 23, 2015 - which would harm the water interests of Egypt and Sudan, especially the Roseires Dam in Sudan.
It was demanded that Ethiopia should stop taking any unilateral measures that harm the water interests of Egypt and Sudan, including stopping the filling of the reservoir of the Renaissance dam without reaching an agreement on the rules to fill and operate the dam.
The session acknowledged the correspondences sent by both the Egyptian and Sudanese foreign ministers to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and agreed with their contents regarding the warning on the consequences on the regional and international peace and security if a just settlement is not reached on the issue of the Renaissance Dam.
The session urged the UNSC to assume its responsibilities in this regard by holding an urgent consultative meeting on the subject and take the necessary procedures to launch an effective negotiation process that guarantees reaching a legally binding, just and balanced agreement in a definite timeframe on the Renaissance Dam, considering the interests of the three countries.
The session also called upon the Arab member in the UNSC (currently Tunisia) and the committee (which includes Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Iraq) formed according to the decision of the extraordinary round of the council of the Arab League on June 23, 2020, which is tasked with following up the case and co-ordinate accordingly with the UNSC to intensify their efforts and continue to closely co-ordinate with Sudan and Egypt on the future plans in this regard.
