The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok informed Cairo that he would communicate with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to clarify his position regarding the return to the negotiating track over the Renaissance Dam. Hamdok held a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly, with the participation of the foreign and irrigation ministers and heads of intelligence of the two countries, in order to discuss a return to negotiations between Egypt and Ethiopia on the rules for filling and operating the Renaissance Dam.

The crisis of the Renaissance Dam negotiations was greatly complicated last week after the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman announced that his country is not obligated according to any understanding or international law to inform Egypt and Sudan before filling the dam.

Ethiopia announced that it will start the process of filling the dam in July, when the rain starts and coinciding with the beginning of the flood of the Blue Nile, which is expected to continue until the end of next winter with a total of 4.9 billion cubic metres, provided that the dam will start experimental production of electricity next March.