Egypt’s Aswan Dam Legacy Catastrophic and Unilateral, Says Ethiopian Water Minister
Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa has criticized the historical construction of Egypt's Aswan High Dam, labeling it unilateral and catastrophic. He argues that Egypt's past actions undermine their current opposition to Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Why it matters
This rhetoric highlights the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt regarding water rights and the management of the Nile River.
አማርኛ ትግርኛ Afaan Oromoo Af‑Soomaali Qafar Afa English Français عربي Politics Social Economy Sport Technology Environment Feature Videos About Us Egypt’s Aswan Dam Legacy Catastrophic and Unilateral, Says Ethiopian Water Minister 🔇Unmute Addis Ababa, October 3, 2026 (ENA)—Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa underscored that the historical legacy of Egypt’s Aswan High Dam and its construction caused major social disruption while proceeding without Ethiopia’s consent.
In a social media post early today, Minister Habtamu described the Aswan High Dam as one of Africa’s most consequential mega-dam projects, saying its construction displaced more than 100,000 Nubians and profoundly affected their communities, livelihoods and ancestral lands.
He argued that the history of the Aswan project should be considered in the current debate over Abay (Nile) development and Ethiopia’s right to utilize its water resources.
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