Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ahmed Abdul Aziz Kattan said the Kingdom wishes to see an end to the crisis over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in a way that secures the right of all parties involved; Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. In press remarks reported by Sky News Arabia, Kattan said Saudi Arabia will announce later holding a summit for the Council of the Arab and African countries of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden formed last year in Saudi Arabia. The council, tasked with securing the waterways of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, has eight member states; Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Eritrea, Yemen, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia. Kattan reiterated Saudi Arabia's support for the water security of Arab countries. Kattan made the remarks during an official visit to Khartoum on Wednesday, during which he met with Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok as well as President of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan. Rounds of talks between the three concerned countries in the GERD issue have ended in deadlock, with Sudan dismissing the way talks are currently held as “unproductive” and with Egypt blaming the stalemate on Ethiopia's intransigence. Ethiopia has repeatedly affirmed that it would implement the second phase of filling the massive dam under any circumstances, even though the parties have not yet reached a binding legal agreement and despite Sudan's warning of “disastrous” implications that may occur without having a deal.
