Egypt says Nile issue is existential, rejects Ethiopia’s unilateral moves
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has labeled the Nile water dispute with Ethiopia an existential threat to Egypt. Cairo continues to reject Ethiopia's unilateral operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, citing a lack of safety and environmental transparency.
Why it matters
The ongoing dispute over the Nile represents a significant geopolitical flashpoint that could impact regional stability and water security for millions.
CAIRO – Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the Nile water issue was an “existential” matter for Egypt, warning that Cairo would reject any unilateral steps by Ethiopia over its massive dam project that could threaten the interests of downstream countries.
In an interview with Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, Abdelatty said Egypt and Sudan had still not received technical studies on the safety standards of the Ethiopian dam or its environmental impact, arguing that unilateral actions by an upstream country violated international rules governing shared rivers.
“The Nile water issue is an existential matter for Egypt,” Abdelatty said, stressing that Cairo opposed any measures taken without agreement among the countries sharing the river.
He accused Ethiopia of having operated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) unilaterally and for political purposes, saying such actions had created risks for downstream states.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in