All the foot-dragging over GERD is officially going to start costing money: Technical experts from Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia are gathering in Addis Ababa today to discuss contractual issues related to the French consultancy firm hired to conduct environmental impact studies on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), according to state-run Al Ahram. An unnamed source close to the matter says that the three countries are facing potential penalties to the French firm, whose report over the impact of the dam on Egypt was rejected earlier this year by Sudan and Ethiopia, for failing to meet the agreed-upon timeline for the dam. All three countries have been trying to arrive at a “joint vision” for the dam’s construction, but last we heard the tripartite committee overseeing the issue had failed to reach a breakthrough when it last met in Addis Ababa in September.

Meanwhile, Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir is due in Sharm El Sheikh tomorrow to attend the closing ceremony of the World Youth Forum, according to the Sudanese Media Center. Al Bashir will meet with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to discuss political issues of mutual interest and regional issues such as the peace process in South Sudan.