Proposals presented by Ethiopia on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) backtracks from all previous understandings and the outcomes of Washington talk rounds said the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation on Thursday.

This comes following the third meeting on GERD between Ministers for Irrigation and Water Resources from the three countries, following three weeks of a Sudanese initiative to see the three countries return to the negotiating table.

Egypt and Sudan expressed their reservation to the Ethiopia proposals. 

Egypt has affirmed its continued commitment to the agreement reached in Washington as it is an equitable and balanced agreement that enables Ethiopia to achieve its development goals while preserving the rights of the downstream countries.

Ethiopia to review its position that impedes the possibility of reaching an agreement, Egypt said in the statement, stressing that it should refrain from taking any unilateral measures in violation of its legal obligations, per the 2015 Declaration of Principles agreement.

 Egypt also stressed the importance of Ethiopia negotiating in good faith, similar to the approach that Egypt has taken since the negotiations began to sign a fair agreement that takes into account the interests of all concerned parties.

GERD which aims to turn Addis Ababa into Africa’s biggest power exporter would significantly diminish Egypt’s water supply from the Nile, its major source of freshwater.

Previous negotiations between the three parties had stalled after Ethiopia did not attend the last US-sponsored meeting with Egypt and Sudan in Washington to sign the final agreement over the rules of filling and operating the GERD.