Egypt Warns Against Ethiopia’s “Unilateral Policies” on Nile Dam

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday accused Ethiopia of violating international law by pursuing unilateral measures over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), warning that Cairo would not compromise on its water rights in the Nile River.

In his address at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Abdelatty said Addis Ababa’s declaration of completing the dam was an attempt to impose a fait accompli, undermining stability in the Horn of Africa and the Eastern Nile Basin.

“Ethiopia dreams—or rather deludes itself—if it thinks that Egypt will forget its existential rights and interests in the Nile River,” the minister said. “Any alleged commitment to international law must be reflected in a genuine willingness to resort to judicial and arbitration mechanisms. That has never been the case.”

Abdelatty stressed that Egypt “will not hesitate to protect its rights” and rejected unilateral measures that “threaten the lives of millions in the downstream states.” He emphasized that the UN Charter and principles of international law guarantee Egypt and the peoples of the region the protection of their vital interests in the Nile.

Reaffirming Egypt’s longstanding position, the foreign minister noted that Cairo has “always sought to strengthen cooperation among the Nile Basin states and to support development in these brotherly countries with whom we share the river, a source of prosperity for us all.”

The dispute over the GERD has strained relations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia for more than a decade, with Cairo insisting that any filling and operation of the massive hydroelectric project must be governed by a legally binding agreement to safeguard downstream water security.