GERD has more benefits to Sudan than Ethiopia: President Al-Bashir

Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is useful to all the parties and Sudan has been supporting the construction.

“Aswan is useful to Egypt and GERD is life to Sudan,” the President said.

President Al-Bashir told the Arabic newspaper “The Middle East” that “GERD is useful for all of us. I think the leadership of Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi made the GERD a political issue while the matter is totally technical and this is the big mistake”.

According to the Turkish news Agency Anadolu, which quoted the newspaper, President Al-Bashir said, “I think the leadership of Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi made the GERD a political issue while the matter is totally technical and this is the big mistake.”

“I personally watched a direct television programme aimed at spreading the idea of bombing Ethiopia’s Dam, destabilizing Ethiopia and giving support to opposition groups organized against the Ethiopian government. And this was a shameful programme,” the Sudanese President noted.

“Following this programme, the Ethiopian people became stronger and made the Dam a national project. Despite the difference in ethnicity and religion in Ethiopia, the whole people have a common and strong position with regard to their national project - the GERD,” he added.

Moreover, despite their differences the Ethiopian peoples are rallying behind the government to construct and complete their Dam. Even the needy are contributing towards the success of the construction of the Dam.

I suggest that Egypt should take corrective measures in this regard, he said.

“The existing government of Ethiopia is influential at global level. Ethiopians will complete the construction of the Dam, which is their dream. They never stop the construction of their national project, the GERD.”

“Sudan has been supporting the construction of the Dam. The country has conducted a study on the GERD and has already become aware that the Dam has more benefits to Sudan than Ethiopia.”