Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry met, on Wednesday, with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as part of his ongoing meetings and contacts in New York.

Shoukry’s meetings with various parties aim to explain Egypt’s position on the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and prepare for the UN Security Council meeting on the issue.

Ahmed Hafez, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that during the meeting, Shoukry noted Egypt’s categorical rejection of Ethiopia’s announcement regarding the start of the second filling process.

The minister also noted Ethiopia’s desire to impose a fait accompli on the two downstream states, namely Egypt and Sudan. This is a clear violation of the 2015 Declaration of Principles agreement, and a violation of international laws and norms.

Shoukry noted the danger of taking such unilateral measures without reaching an agreement and the impact on the stability and security of the region.

During the meeting with Guterres, Shoukry stressed the need for international parties, led by the UN and its Security Council, to assume their responsibility to push Ethiopia to engage seriously on the GERD issue. This would also take into account the sincere political will in the negotiations for the desired agreement.