US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President F\u00e9lix Tshisekedi discussed the importance of reducing the conflict between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), according to a statement by the US Department of State on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n
Blinken \u201cemphasized the importance of the African Union\u2019s role in reducing conflict and mediating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam dispute. Both leaders expressed their commitment to working together so that the DRC can realize its vast potential and continue on a positive trajectory,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
On July 6, 2021, the US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said in his daily Briefing that Ethiopia\u2019s second filling for GERD is a unilateral action which is \u2018fair to say that is a potential to raise tensions\u2019 between parties.\u201d<\/p>\n
A day earlier, Egypt\u2019s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Ati received an official letter from his Ethiopian counterpart Seleshi Bekele confirming that Ethiopia started the second phase of filling the reservoir of its controversial mega dam. This comes despite Egyptian and Sudanese rejection of the second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Ethiopia builds on the Blue Nile, unless the three countries reach a legally binding agreement on the dam.<\/p>\n
Blinken and Tshisekedi talked about some African issues such as the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the statement said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecretary Blinken also commended President Tshisekedi for his leadership as African Union Chairperson, and the two discussed making environmental protection and combatting the climate crisis a priority during the DRC\u2019s term. Secretary Blinken emphasized the United States\u2019 grave concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the statement added.<\/p>\n
The US Department of State regional spokesman Samuel Warburg criticized the latest Ethiopian Parliamentary elections that were held last June, saying it was neither \u2018free\u2019 nor \u2018fair\u2019 elections.<\/p>\n
He added in statements, Monday that free decisions demand democracy and transparency. \u201cElections itself was never a sign for democracy or political reform\u201d Warburg said.<\/p>\n
Warburg also called on Ethiopians to refuse violence and confront all kind of growing divisions within the society.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, Ethiopia\u2019s ruling Prosperity party succeeded to win the election, assuring a second term for the prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, despite the political conflicts he aroused in his country including Tigray conflict and the GERD issue.<\/p>\n
Ethiopia’s government has been battling the Tigray People’s Liberation Front since late last year, causing the death of thousands of civilians and an unknown number of combatants.<\/p>\n
Egypt Today<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President F\u00e9lix Tshisekedi discussed the importance of reducing the conflict between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), according to a statement by the US Department of State on Wednesday evening. Blinken \u201cemphasized the importance of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7863],"tags":[41242,2484,15565,68093,74392,8282],"class_list":["post-236353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english-section","tag-congo","tag-egypt","tag-ethiopia","tag-felix-tshisekedi","tag-gerd-conflict","tag-sudan"],"yoast_head":"\n