Egyptian-Uzbek Agreement on Resolving GERD Dispute

Arab World

February 22nd, 9:11am

Cairo - Asharq Al-Awsat

The Egyptian and Uzbek presidents during a press conference in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has reiterated his country’s stance in seeking a legally-binding agreement regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). During a joint press conference with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Sisi asserted the importance of finding a solution to the long-running dispute caused by the GERD. They underscored the significance of encouraging Ethiopia to sign a legally binding deal on the rules for filling and operating the dam. There is an ongoing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia because of the Renaissance Dam which Ethiopia built on the main tributary of the Nile River. Egypt fears that the GERD will have a negative impact on the country's water supply. Joint talks have resulted in the signing of a set of agreements in various fields, including trade, industry, agriculture, and tourism. They also touched on bilateral ties and international and regional updates. The Egyptian president said they have agreed to swiftly convene the Egyptian-Uzbek joint committee for economic cooperation as soon as possible, as well as to put the agreements signed between the two sides into practice. The two leaders witnessed the inking of nine memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in various fields. Moreover, they called for finding a political solution for international conflicts including the Palestinian cause and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the presidents expressed “deep concern” about the spread of “terrorism”, which they described as “one of the most dangerous threats to humanity”. They further condemned the use of religion to justify, support, or sponsor terrorism, affirming the importance of the role of the international community in coordinating to eliminate this phenomenon. Sisi and Mirziyoyev also called for “uprooting terrorism networks and their safe havens and eliminating their infrastructure and financing channels.” They highlighted the need to combat attempts by extremist organizations to use the internet and social media to recruit the youth. Moreover, they agreed on the importance of stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan and the need to maintain assistance to the Afghan people.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4172941/egyptian-uzbek-agreement-resolving-gerd-dispute