The dialogue with Ethiopia on the controversial mega-dam construction on the Nile was termed as hopeful by both Abdalla Hamdok and Moustafa Madbouly, Prime Ministers of Sudan and Egypt respectively reported AFP.

Talks between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan were suspended last week after Addis Ababa insisted on linking them to renegotiating a deal on sharing the waters of the Blue Nile.

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South Africa, which holds the presidency of the African Union and is mediating negotiations, has urged the countries to “remain involved” in the talks.

Ethiopia believes that the Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be beneficial for its development in the field of electricity generation. While Egypt and Sudan put forth the opinion that the dam can be a danger to the water supplies reported AFP.

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On Saturday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli made his first official visit to Sudan since the formation of a transitional government in Khartoum last year.

Following his talks with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, a joint statement was issued saying that “negotiations are the only way to resolve the problems of the dam.”

The two premiers said they were “optimistic regarding the outcome of the negotiations” held under mediation by the African Union, according to the statement.

“It is important to reach an agreement that guarantees the rights and interests of all three nations,” it said, adding that a “mechanism to resolve (future) disputes” should be part of any deal.

Earlier this month, Egypt’s water ministry said that Ethiopia had put forward a draft proposal that lacked a legal mechanism for settling disputes.

Since Ethiopia had put the proposal for the project in 2011, the GERD had turned into a basis of conflict for both Egypt and Sudan as both the countries happen to have historic rights over the Nile river handed to them by treaties signed in 1929 and 1959.

Ethiopia came up with upper hands over the river by using a treaty signed in 2010 by six countries neighbouring the Nile reported AFP.

Madbouli was accompanied to Khartoum by a delegation including Egypt’s ministers of water and irrigation, electricity, health, and trade and industry.

During his visit, Madbouli is also expected to meet with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s ruling sovereign council, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, council deputy chief and military general.

The Prime Minister of Sudan, Hamdok’s office expressed the belief that the collaboration between the two countries will eventually bring in good cooperation.