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3/19/2020

Joint Statement of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, the United States and the World Bank | U.S. Department of the Treasury

Joint Statement of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, the United States and
the World Bank
January 15, 2020

Washington, DC – The Ministers of Foreign A airs and Water Resources of Egypt, Ethiopia and
Sudan and their delegations met with the Secretary of the Treasury and the President of the
World Bank, participating as observers, in Washington, D.C. on January 13-15, 2020. The
Ministers noted the progress achieved in the four technical meetings among the Ministers of
Water Resources and their two prior meetings in Washington D.C. and the outcomes of those
meetings and their joint commitment to reach a comprehensive, cooperative, adaptive,
sustainable, and mutually beneficial agreement on the filling and operation of the Grand
Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Toward that end, the Ministers noted the following points, recognizing that all points are subject
to final agreement:
1. The filling of the GERD will be executed in stages and will be undertaken in an adaptive and
cooperative manner that takes into consideration the hydrological conditions of the Blue
Nile and the potential impact of the filling on downstream reservoirs.
2. Filling will take place during the wet season, generally from July to August, and will
continue in September subject to certain conditions.
3. The initial filling stage of the GERD will provide for the rapid achievement of a level of 595
meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) and the early generation of electricity, while providing
appropriate mitigation measures for Egypt and Sudan in case of severe droughts during this
stage.
4. The subsequent stages of filling will be done according to a mechanism to be agreed that
determines release based upon the hydrological conditions of the Blue Nile and the level of
the GERD that addresses the filling goals of Ethiopia and provides electricity generation and
appropriate mitigation measures for Egypt and Sudan during prolonged periods of dry
years, drought and prolonged drought.
5. During long term operation, the GERD will operate according to a mechanism that
determines release based upon the hydrological conditions of the Blue Nile and the level of
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3/19/2020

Joint Statement of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, the United States and the World Bank | U.S. Department of the Treasury

the GERD that provides electricity generation and appropriate mitigation measures for
Egypt and Sudan during prolonged periods of dry years, drought and prolonged drought.
6. An e ective coordination mechanism and provisions for the settlement of disputes will be
established.
The Ministers agree that there is a shared responsibility of the three countries in managing
drought and prolonged drought.
The Ministers agreed to meet again in Washington, D.C. on January 28-29 to finalize a
comprehensive agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD, and that there will be
technical and legal discussions in the interim period.
The Ministers recognize the significant regional benefits that can result from concluding an
agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with respect to transboundary
cooperation, regional development and economic integration that can result from the operation
of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The Ministers of Foreign A airs rea irmed the
importance of transboundary cooperation in the development of the Blue Nile to improve the
lives of the people of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, and their shared commitment to concluding
an agreement.

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