Cairo: SiltaNews – News Desk
Egypt is closely monitoring developments in the Eastern Nile Basin and will take all lawful measures to safeguard its vital water resources, a ministerial statement read on Wednesday. The remarks were made during a meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty and Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam to coordinate Egypt’s regional and international water diplomacy.
The ministers emphasized Egypt’s commitment to cooperation and mutual benefit with Nile Basin countries, while firmly opposing unilateral actions in the Eastern Nile that violate international law. “The ministers affirmed that Egypt continues to follow developments closely and will take all measures guaranteed under international law to protect the existential resources of its people,” the statement read. The meeting also reaffirmed Egypt’s historical support for development initiatives in Nile Basin countries, particularly in the southern basin.
The ministers’ remarks come while Egypt has been objecting to Ethiopia’s unilateral measures on its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a mega dam capable of holding up to 74 billion cubic meters of water. Egypt and Sudan, two downstream countries of the Nile, have raised concerns that unilateral and uncoordinated filling and operation of GERD could affect their water security and interests, particularly during periods of drought or flooding. The two downstream countries have long affirmed that they are not against development in Ethiopia but called for a binding legal agreement governing the operation and filling of the dam to secure their water interests.
However, the upstream country has persistently rejected this demand, bringing the curtain down on more than a decade of talks. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 98% of its renewable water resources, has warned that it will not accept any infringement on, or relinquishment of, a single drop of its Nile water share. The Ethiopian dam built over the Blue Nile was officially inaugurated in September despite Egypt and Sudan concerns, causing the dispute between the three countries to soar.
Less than a month later, Egypt accused Ethiopia of creating a “man-made flood” that put the lives and resources of populations in the two downstream countries at risk, citing “hasty and uncoordinated filling” of the dam. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi told African officials last month that Egypt has no dispute with Ethiopia. However, its sole demand is that its rights to Nile water rights are not affected and that a legally binding agreement is reached regarding the dam.