Shoukry and Ghandour talk GERD, bilateral issues

Shoukry and Ghandour talk GERD, bilateral issues: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with Sudanese counterpart Ibrahim Ghandour yesterday to follow up on developments related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and other bilateral issues, according to a ministry statement. The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to resolutions from a February meeting where they agreed to uphold water-sharing protocols signed in a 1959 treaty, which Sudan had accused Egypt of violating. Negotiations over GERD have been postponed while Ethiopia selects a new prime minister after Hailemariam Desalegn resigned in a surprise move last month. Talks had reached a stalemate after Ethiopia and Sudan both refused to acknowledge the results of environmental impact studies showing the dam would severely cut into Egypt’s Nile water supply, which took a toll on Cairo and Khartoum’s souring ties. Both countries have been slowly mending relations and Sudan’s ambassador returned to his post in Cairo this week after he was recalled almost three months ago for “consultations.”