Ministers of Irrigation of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to meet in Khartoum

Construction site of the Grand Ethiopian Dam
(Image: NSNBC)

Ministers of Irrigation of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia are expected to meet in Khartoum, Sudan, to discuss the controversial Grand Renaissance Dam to be constructed in Ethiopia and to review the technical offer prepared by the French consultancy firms BRL and Artelia regarding the impact studies of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

The meeting took place on Wednesday, 10 February, in Khartoum, as the tripartite technical committee consisting of the representatives of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia finished its report on the joint technical offers from the French consultancy firms earlier on Tuesday, 9 February.

The tripartite committee was tasked in 2013 with studying the issue of the possible impact of the erecting the Grand Dam and of choosing the consultancy firm to conduct an independent study on the social, economic and environmental impact of construction of the Grand Dam and the study on the effect on the water supply of the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, which is an extremely controversial issue for the countries depending on the Nile water share. It's worth mentioning that Egypt and Sudan have been expressing concerns over the Grand Dam.

The contract with the French consultancy companies is expected to be signed later in February, after the meeting of the sides.