The newly signed document mostly covers the actual implementation and formalization of guidelines that were set out in a previous agreement, signed in March 2015. However, it does not settle the most contentious issues stalling the project, which will likely be discussed during the 12th round of tripartite talks scheduled for early February 2016. The agreement does implement a strict timeline to decide on these contentious issues and mandates technical assessments on the throughput of the dam and studies on the environmental impact on Sudan and Egypt. These new studies, to be conducted over the next year, will be managed by two separate French consulting firms, which were agreed upon jointly by the three countries involved. At this point, of course, there is no guarantee that countries will heed the technical advice given by the studies or change their stance on the project based on the findings.