Cairo: SiltaNews – News Desk
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said President Abdel Fattah El Sisi expressed his appreciation for US President Donald Trump’s interest in the Nile water issue, describing it as a pivotal matter for Egypt, as the Nile is the lifeline of the Egyptian state.
Abdelatty told MENA on Saturday that Egypt is keen on serious and constructive cooperation with Nile Basin countries to implement the principles of international law, including prior notification and the obligation not to cause harm, stressing that these principles constitute core constants of Egypt’s stance on the Ethiopian dam issue. He pointed out that Egypt supports the achievement of shared interests.
He noted that the total water resources of the Nile Basin amount to about 1,600 billion cubic meters of rainfall annually, adding that if countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo are included, the figure rises to around 7,000 billion cubic meters. He stressed that there is no shortage of water resources if they are properly managed, which would enhance existing water shares, pointing out that the region has vast quantities of water that require efficient use.
The foreign minister reiterated Egypt’s emphasis on what President Trump highlighted as a key point, the importance of completely avoiding unilateral solutions. He said no country in the Nile Basin has the right to take unilateral measures, underscoring Egypt’s firm stance on the need for prior notification and the prevention of harm. Abdelatty affirmed that Egypt remains fully open to engaging with Nile Basin countries on the use of water resources, provided that cooperation is based on the principle of achieving mutual gains for all and the complete avoidance of individual or unilateral actions.
He added that President Sisi intends to send a letter to President Trump in response to his message, expressing thanks and appreciation and reaffirming Egypt’s firm stance on water security. The foreign minister also said that Egypt supports President Trump’s efforts and stressed the importance of continuing close cooperation to achieve mutual interests, while taking into account the water-related concerns of both Egypt and Sudan.