Egypt Defends Its Water Rights Against Ethiopian Intransigence: Diplomatic Vision for the Nile and Safeguarding Water Security

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared in a decisive speech at the opening of Cairo’s Eighth Water Week that Egypt will not stand by idly while Ethiopia pursues unilateral measures regarding the management of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). El-Sisi affirmed that Cairo will undertake all necessary actions to safeguard its national interests and water security, urging the international community and Africa in particular to adopt a responsible stance against Ethiopia’s uncontrolled management of the dam.

He clarified that Egypt’s diplomatic approach throughout the past fourteen years signals neither weakness nor retreat, but rather demonstrates strength, mature vision, and sincere belief that dialogue and cooperation are the keys for securing the interests of all Nile Basin countries without endangering any party. El-Sisi unequivocally rejected any unilateral moves on the Nile that destabilize the region and undermine the principles of justice among basin peoples.

The president added that the crisis developments, especially those following the inauguration of the dam, have validated Egypt’s demands for a binding legal agreement regulating the dam’s operation and water distribution beyond unilateral acts. Uncoordinated water releases have harmed the downstream countries due to a lack of notification and coordination.

El-Sisi called for the creation of an international mechanism to manage the dam’s water release during droughts and floods, ensuring a balance between the upstream countries’ development and the protection of downstream interests. He reviewed Egypt’s years-long diplomatic efforts and pursuit of an agreement that balances rights and development for all parties, asserting that the Nile is a shared resource for all riparian countries and should not be monopolized. Egypt, he stressed, possesses the means to protect its rights regardless of the challenges ahead.