Back to the complete issue
Tuesday, 1 September 2020

Ethiopia seeks answers on possible halt to US aid due to GERD impasse

Ethiopia after US for answers on possible halt to aid: The Ethiopian government is seeking clarification for recent reports that the US could withhold some USD 130 mn-worth of assistance programs to the African nation in order to mediate its dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Fitsum Arega, the country’s ambassador to the US said on Twitter. An explanation was due to be issued yesterday evening, Arega claimed. Foreign Policy quoted USD officials and congressional aides last weekend as saying that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has signed off on plans to suspend US funding to Ethiopia for security, counter-terrorism, and anti-human trafficking. This came as the GERD talks reached yet another impasse last Friday, when the negotiating irrigation ministers failed to see eye-to-eye during a meeting to resolve sticking points on the filling and operating the dam.

Enterprise is a daily publication of Enterprise Ventures LLC, an Egyptian limited liability company (commercial register 83594), and a subsidiary of Inktank Communications. Summaries are intended for guidance only and are provided on an as-is basis; kindly refer to the source article in its original language prior to undertaking any action. Neither Enterprise Ventures nor its staff assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, whether in the form of summaries or analysis. © 2022 Enterprise Ventures LLC.

Enterprise is available without charge thanks to the generous support of HSBC Egypt (tax ID: 204-901-715), the leading corporate and retail lender in Egypt; EFG Hermes (tax ID: 200-178-385), the leading financial services corporation in frontier emerging markets; SODIC (tax ID: 212-168-002), a leading Egyptian real estate developer; SomaBay (tax ID: 204-903-300), our Red Sea holiday partner; Infinity (tax ID: 474-939-359), the ultimate way to power cities, industries, and homes directly from nature right here in Egypt; CIRA (tax ID: 200-069-608), the leading providers of K-12 and higher level education in Egypt; Orascom Construction (tax ID: 229-988-806), the leading construction and engineering company building infrastructure in Egypt and abroad; Moharram & Partners (tax ID: 616-112-459), the leading public policy and government affairs partner; Palm Hills Developments (tax ID: 432-737-014), a leading developer of commercial and residential properties; Mashreq (tax ID: 204-898-862), the MENA region’s leading homegrown personal and digital bank; Industrial Development Group (IDG) (tax ID:266-965-253), the leading builder of industrial parks in Egypt; Hassan Allam Properties (tax ID:  553-096-567), one of Egypt’s most prominent and leading builders; and Saleh, Barsoum & Abdel Aziz (tax ID: 220-002-827), the leading audit, tax and accounting firm in Egypt.