Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia restart talks over Nile dam

Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia on November 1 have restarted talks over Addis Ababa's controversial dam on the Blue Nile, waters critical to the two downstream nations, according to a news report by Nation.

The week-long negotiations, include water ministers from the three countries, as well as representatives from the African Union, European Union, and the World Bank and was held via videoconference,

Previous three-way talks have failed to produce an agreement on the filling and operation of the vast reservoir behind the 145-meter (475-foot) tall hydropower Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Egypt, which depends on the Nile for about 97 percent of its irrigation and drinking water, sees the dam as an existential threat.

Sudan hopes the dam will help regulate flooding but has also warned that millions of lives would be at great risk if Ethiopia unilaterally fills the dam.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia views the project as essential for its electrification and development and insists that the flow of water downstream will not be affected.

"The three sides agreed to continue discussing the issue through a six-member team including two representatives from each country," Sudan's water ministry said in a statement.

The team, it said, will put a frame of reference on the role of experts to facilitate the talks, and will submit their report to the water ministers from the three countries by Wednesday.