He added, “If the recent agreement truly included special provisions on the dam's operation policies and filling the storage reservoir, this means that Egypt agreed to its completion without considering its potential risks.”
Meanwhile, the former head of the Nile Water Department at Egypt's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mohammed Abdel Aty, told Al-Monitor, “The [semi-formal] preliminary document, which was drafted according to international standards and agreed upon by the ministers of foreign affairs and agriculture, is the best way to settle the dispute, especially in light of the slow process to find technical solutions to this effect.”
Abdel Aty added, “A genuine agreement akin to the 1959 agreement between Cairo and Khartoum could be reached, should there be a true, strong political will. However, things are now standing at the level of a memorandum of understanding or a letter of intent.”
Following the negotiations in Khartoum, the issue was referred to the presidents of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia for review and ratification. However, the three countries have no other choice but to cooperate, as the dam has now become a reality.