ISTANBUL

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh discussed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) over the phone Thursday. 

The leaders of the two countries agreed that the issue should be resolved so that the security and stability of the region is not adversely affected, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

During the conversation, al-Sisi underlined that a binding and comprehensive agreement should be reached on the filling and operation of the dam.

For nine years, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have been locked in stalled negotiations on the dam. Addis Ababa insists on filling the dam even if it does not reach an agreement with Cairo and Khartoum.

Egypt and Sudan are determined to reach a tripartite agreement first to ensure they are not negatively affected, especially in terms of their annual share of the Nile water.

Djibouti, where the Nile does not pass, meets some of its water needs from Ethiopia, and it is known that Djibouti supports Ethiopia's thesis on the Nile.