Egypt renews opposition to new Ethiopian dams on the River Nile

Cairo on Wednesday evening renewed its opposition to the construction of new Ethiopian dams on the River Nile, marking the third similar Egyptian position in about two weeks. 

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty made the remarks in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, in response to Ethiopian announcements about plans to build new dams on the Nile.

Fundamental differences remain between Cairo and Addis Ababa over Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile, with no binding agreement on its filling and operation. Egypt fears that this could affect its share of Nile water coming from Ethiopia, the upstream country.

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Abdelatty said in the interview that “Egypt will not allow the construction of additional dams on the Nile”.

He stressed that Egypt has “the legitimate right to defend its interests and water security”.

On 16 August, the official Egyptian news agency quoted a senior Egyptian source as saying that “the recent statements attributed to Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa, regarding the construction of additional dams on the Nile and control over water flows to the downstream countries, reflect Addis Ababa’s continued illusions that it can impose dominance over a shared international river and subject it to the will of a single country”.

The source said this approach “is not recognised by international law, and Egypt will not allow it to be imposed as a fait accompli”.

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