Sharjah 24 – KUNA: Egyptian President Abdelfattah Al-Sisi said on Wednesday that Egypt and Sudan have called for holding a UN Security Council session to discuss the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), due to Ethiopia's continued procrastination.

This came in a telephone call between Al-Sisi and President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi, Egypt's presidential spokesman Bassam Radhi said in a statement.

Radhi added that Al-Sisi indicated that Ethiopia's attempts to impose a fait accompli have stalled the ongoing negotiations under the auspices of the African Union.

Al-Sisi noted that moving to the UNSC aims at boosting the African Union's path and enables the union, in cooperation with other parties, to assume an effective role to help the three countries - Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia - reach a legally binding deal on filling and operating the dam within a certain timeframe, Radhi said.

Al-Sisi expressed appreciation for Congo's attention to the issue of the dam, as being head of the AU's current session, he made clear.

Meanwhile, Tshisekedi appreciated Egypt's efforts within the negotiation path with the aim of finding a solution to the crisis.

He affirmed continued cooperation with Egypt during the next period to reach a balanced and fair deal to this vital issue.