A responsible source in the General Secretariat of the Arab League expressed on Tuesday the "disturbance of the League" over Ethiopia's recent letter to the Security Council dated July 5, in which it rejects the body's intervention in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue, claiming that such intervention could undermine the friendly and cooperative relations between the League and the African Union.
The source confirmed that "Ethiopia's letter contained many inaccuracies, but the most dangerous aspect was the clear attempt to drive a wedge between two regional organizations that have long maintained close and strong relations." The source emphasized that "the Arab League is not inclined to enter into any form of debate or confrontation with the African Union, especially since it includes 10 Arab countries that are also members of the Union."
The source noted that "the League maintains various frameworks and mechanisms for consultation and joint action with the African Union, and is keen to coordinate positions with it on many issues, in addition to the excellent friendly relations between the Secretary-General of the Arab League and Mr. Moussa Faki, Chairman of the African Union Commission."
The source added that "the League's intervention in the GERD issue, which is based on decisions issued by the League Council, is a natural and logical matter, as the issue affects the interests of two of its member states, namely Egypt and Sudan," confirming that "the just positions of the two countries, which call for a comprehensive and binding agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD reservoir, are a matter of Arab consensus."
The source concluded with a statement, saying that "Ethiopia's efforts unfortunately attempt to portray the issue as an Arab-African conflict, which is a wrong narrative that calls for concern and regret," urging Addis Ababa to "reconsider this unconstructive approach."
Two days before an expected meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Ethiopia condemned what it considered to be the "interference" of the Arab League in the dispute between Egypt and Sudan regarding the GERD on the Nile. In a statement, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said, "We reject the unacceptable intervention of the Arab League in the GERD issue, after the League submitted a request to the Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly to intervene in this matter."
Tensions have escalated regarding the GERD, which Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile, after Addis Ababa announced that it had begun the second filling of the dam's reservoir, sparking anger from the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan.
