ADDIS ABABA, 17 March, 2021 (TON): The Ethiopian government opposed calls by Sudan for the outside mediators including the U.S. over the dispute of hydroelectric dam over the Nile River, an official said on Tuesday. 

Dina Mufti, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman told the media, that Ethiopia is generally opposed to mediation by outside parties even though the African Union is welcome to help,

He said, “The tripartite talks between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam should be concluded between the three countries themselves, not through mediators.”

“The role of mediators is facilitating the talks, not spoon-feeding the process,” he added.

“Ethiopia has big respect for the African Union” and that the country believes in resolving African problems by Africans,” he continued.

On Monday, the media reported that after the visit of Sudan’s prime minister to Cairo last week, Sudan had requested the EU, U.S., and African Union to mediate help in resolving the dispute.

However, despite negotiations that have lasted years, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have failed to reach a deal over how to share the Nile’s water, a lifeline for all three countries. The talks with a variety of mediators, including the Trump administration, have failed to produce a resolution.