20 African organizations adopt a new initiative to return to the negotiating table and reach a binding agreement to manage and operate the Renaissance Dam

The “Common Rights and Integrated Development of the Nile” initiative is an initiative launched by the National Association for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms and a number of African civil society organizations, based on its strategy, which seeks through which to restore the close relations and ties that bring together the peoples of the three countries and to overcome the campaigns of arrogance and hatred caused by the dispute and lack of Consensus during the Renaissance Dam negotiations, which necessitates changing those policies while using all available means to consolidate and improve relations so that the peoples of the three countries enjoy stability and security to open up a broader field for further cooperation at all levels, not only between the three countries, but the matter extends to the Nile Basin countries. It does not reach social, economic and investment cooperation that serves the African peoples. And when we talk about the ideal environment for resolving the crisis and building mechanisms for fruitful cooperation between everyone, the solution environment must contain some items, namely:
• Agreement and the mutual right to development and cooperation, not to engage in side conflicts, to reduce national feelings as much as possible, and to intensify diplomacy.
Notably that the National Association for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms and Al-Haq Foundation for Freedom of Opinion and Expression and Human Rights had launched the “Save Lives … Save Africa” campaign in early July 2020, and 450 African organizations and personalities have joined the campaign so far to support saving lives and try to pressure me. The three parties “Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia” to return to negotiations and expedite the signing of a legal agreement binding on the three parties, guaranteeing Ethiopia’s right to development and to the same extent preserving Egypt and Sudan’s water rights, and the efforts of African civil society organizations continued to seek binding consensus for the parties and reach points of agreement for the negotiation marathon Which began in 2011, that is, nearly ten years, during which we witnessed many important negotiating stations without reaching any satisfactory result for the peoples of the three countries.
Therefore, the National Association for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms “Egypt” and a number of partner civil society organizations call on the three parties (Egypt – Sudan – Ethiopia) to return to negotiations one last time in order to achieve the aspirations of the peoples of the three countries and maintain peace and security on the African continent under the auspices of the African Union headed by the African Union Mr. Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
And its First Item:
Emphasizing the importance of the role of the African Union and the necessity of continuing negotiations under its auspices and under the direct supervision of the current President of the Union, Mr. Felix Tshisekedi, President of the State of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in order to expedite the negotiation process and complete what was built on the previous periods, especially since the delegate of the African Union has indicated that the negotiations have ended 90% Of the legal points in the agreement, only 10% remains, so continuing negotiations under the auspices of the African Union is a difficult and important matter.
The second item:
The African Union President invited the leaders of the three countries “Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia” to an urgent meeting to discuss the differences, clear the atmosphere, and stress the importance of reaching a binding agreement under the auspices of the African Union in order to complete the negotiation and restore confidence between the three brothers for the immediate start and completion of the negotiation process accompanied by political will Reality from all sides to accomplish the remainder of the agreement
Third item:
Establishing a specific time frame for the completion of the negotiating process, to be from 4 months to 6 months as a maximum, so as not to leave the matter indefinitely. A number of international observers must follow up the negotiation in order to advance the negotiation process and provide any information or logistical assistance that the negotiating teams may need in order to Reaching a binding agreement on time
Fourth item:
The importance of unifying observers for the negotiation process supports the African Union in its currency. The initiative suggests that there be observers from the United Nations, whether represented by the General Assembly or one of the international organizations specialized in this regard, as well as a representative from the European Union, the Arab League and a representative from the World Bank, in addition to representatives of civil society organizations in the three countries.
Fifth item:
Negotiations continued for 10 years from 2011 and the negotiation process crossed many important stations that could have ended in a binding agreement, but the negotiation stage always reaches 90% of the agreement and there is always a dispute over the remaining 10% and this is what was stated by the Officials in the United States of America and the World Bank, and this was confirmed by the representative of the African Union at the Security Council session last month.
Therefore, the initiative proposes to start negotiating on only the remaining 10% as points of contention, and to adopt what was agreed upon from 90% of what was reached by the mediation mechanism of the United States of America and the World Bank in order to gain time and not waste it on what was agreed upon.
Sixth item:
Adopting a media agenda for the three countries that exalts friendship and historical ties between the peoples of the region, stops all hate campaigns and encourages violence, and sets a media code of honor and style book to reduce the media exchange that has been monitored during the past two years.
Seventh item:
Joint management of development projects for peoples in the three countries to support the right to a decent life, development and protection of the environment from desertification to strengthen the ties of relations between countries that share the benefit of the river as a mediator of development at the social, developmental and cultural level. A number of solutions to end the crisis and the consequences of the work mechanism of the Renaissance Dam and the fruitful cooperation between the three countries in order to achieve the desired development among them to serve their people, namely:
1- Development partnership: through international sponsorship and in cooperation with the World Bank and international development organizations for joint development projects between the three parties based on agricultural projects established between the Ethiopian and Sudanese lands that attract the surplus of the Egyptian agricultural labor affected by the dam – in the event of damage and their being affected by it -, It depends on the cultivation of products needed by the sponsoring and supportive countries for the solution, and accurately determines the required quantities and qualities within an annual scalable calendar, while providing these projects with water needs without any obstacles.
2- Electric partnership: Since Ethiopia’s need to export electric power through Egypt is difficult to overcome in the foreseeable future, except through a partnership between the two parties, we suggest the establishment of an Egyptian-Ethiopian company to deal with the issue of electric power production and export, through which the price of kilowatt-hour is unified and the interests of both parties are achieved. Instead of this issue becoming a contentious matter and a door to price speculation that raises the level of tension between them, this company is also a profitable investment for both parties, instead of entering into conflicts that may reach the military.