The three countries had initially picked French firm BRL and Dutch firm Deltares in April but Deltares later withdrew leading them to replace it with French firm Artelia on Tuesday.
The leaders of the three countries signed a co-operation deal in Khartoum in March that paved the way for a joint approach to regional water supplies.
Cairo and Addis Ababa had previously been locked in a bitter war of words over Ethiopia's $4 billion project.
Technical studies will start in February, when the six ministers are due
to meet again, and will take between six and 15 months, Sudanese Water
Resources, Irrigation, and Electricity Minister Moataz Mousa said.
The principles in
the March agreement included giving priority to downstream countries for
electricity generated by the dam, a mechanism for resolving conflicts,
and providing compensation for damages.
Signatories also pledged to protect the interests of downstream countries when the dam's reservoir is filled.
Addis Ababa has long complained that Cairo was pressuring
donor countries and international lenders to withhold funding from the
6,000 megawatt dam, which is being built by Italy's largest construction
firm Salini Impregilo SpA.
Egypt, which relies almost exclusively on the Nile for
farming, industry and domestic water use, has sought assurances the dam
will not significantly cut its flow to its rapidly growing population.
Even before the
impact studies have been started, officials say 50 percent of the dam's
construction has been completed.
"We are satisfied with the results of this meeting and
look forward to achieving a strategic partnership," said Egyptian
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Ethiopia, the source of the Blue Nile which joins the
White Nile in Khartoum and runs on to Egypt, says the dam will not
disrupt flow. It hopes the project will transform it into a power hub
for the electricity-hungry region.
"We see the agreement over these companies as progress and
look forward to actualizing the interests of the three countries. We
believe the dam will be useful to the three countries," said Ethiopian
Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom.
The Grand Renaissance Dam is the centerpiece of Ethiopia's
bid to become Africa's biggest power exporter. Addis Ababa plans to
spend some $12 billion on harnessing its rivers for hydro power
production in the next two decades.
By: Khalid Abdelaziz.
For The #FacebookTeam