National Association for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms welcomes the statement of the Security Council on the Renaissance Dam as it re-launches its initiative “Common Rights and Integrated Development of the Nile River”.

NADRF welcomes the statement of the UN Security Council, which pushes the tripartite negotiation process between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the issue of the Renaissance Dam and to come up with a binding legal agreement that satisfies all parties to the problem, and stresses the importance of constructive dialogue among all to reach a draft agreement capable of fruitful cooperation in managing Operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
The intervention of the Security Council in such issues and problems rarely occurs, but the issue of the Renaissance Dam, which exposes nearly 260 million African citizens, whether Egyptian, Sudanese or Ethiopian, is a serious matter that requires the intervention of international institutions in order to solve the problem before it complicates it, especially after Ethiopia has taken measures Unilateralism to fill the dam’s dam twice, disregarding all efforts made by the African Union or mediators to resolve the crisis and reach a binding agreement, which has hampered reaching an agreement over the past years.

In a letter to the members of the Security Council on June 13, 2021, NADRF called for the adoption of the Tunisian draft resolution to pressure in the direction of renegotiation between the three parties “Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia” to quickly reach a binding legal agreement to fill and operate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The National Association for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms that the continuation of negotiations over 10 years without reaching an agreement would increase tension in the region, exposing about 260 million people to great danger, and that the Security Council must assume its responsibilities in order to protect lives. The National Society for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms also attached a summary of the study it issued in cooperation with the Paradigm International Center for Studies in Geneva to inform the members of the expected risks and rooting the problem and the proposed solutions entitled “The Renaissance Dam… Justice in Development… Suggested Solutions to Avoid the Worst Scenario”.

In a press conference on August 10, 2021, the initiative “Common Rights and Integrated Development of the Nile River” was announced, 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 to restore the close relations and ties that bring together the peoples of countries And overcoming the campaigns of arrogance and hatred caused by the disagreement and incompatibility during the Renaissance Dam negotiations, which necessitates changing those policies with the use of all available means to consolidate and improve relations so that the peoples of the three countries enjoy stability and security to open a broader field for further cooperation at all levels, not only between The three countries, but the matter extends to the countries of the Nile Basin, and why not reach social, economic and investment cooperation that serves the African peoples. It is strange that the initiative that was launched about thirty-six days ago is in great agreement with what was stated in the statement of the Parliament From the issue on September 15, 2021, which paves the way for renegotiation again. Therefore, we had to re-launch the “Common Rights and Integrated Development of the Nile” initiative again and announce its terms as follows:

First Term:
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 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 must and important matter.
The second item:
The African Union President invited the three parties leaders “Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia” to an urgent meeting to search for a real political will on all sides to accomplish the rest 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 in its most, to avoid leaving the matter unspecified. A number of international observers must follow up the negotiation in order to push the negotiation process and to provide any information or logistical assistance that the negotiating teams may need in order to reach a binding agreement on time

fourth item :
The importance of the presence of the observers for the negotiation process supports the African Union in its mission.
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 since 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 of 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 is suggesting 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, and reduce all hate campaigns that encourage violence, and sets a media code of honor and style book to reduce the media sparring 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 citizens, 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.
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.

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 propose 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 making this issue a contentious matter and a door to price speculation that raises the level of tension between them, and this company is also a profitable investment for both parties, instead of entering into conflicts that may reach the military level