Egyptian Minister of Irrigation to Ethiopia: The Nile Belongs to No One

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Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Suweil responded to statements made by Ethiopian officials regarding their sovereign rights over the Nile River, claiming that they have the freedom to act on its resources.

Suweil confirmed, during a meeting with representatives of foreign media on Sunday evening, that building a dam on an international river is completely different from implementing a project within national borders, explaining that international law distinguishes between actions that pertain to a specific country and projects that affect other countries sharing the same water resource.

He also added that comparing the construction of the Renaissance Dam to internal projects, such as building a school or any local facility, is legally incorrect, because the dam is built on an international river shared by several countries, and not a water resource that belongs to a single country.

The minister questioned the basis on which Ethiopia relies when discussing "sovereign rights" to build dams on a river shared by 10 countries, considering that this argument ignores the rules of international law governing shared rivers, adding that such statements seem to be based on new concepts unrelated to established legal principles.

He reviewed the reality of water resources in Egypt, indicating that more than 98% of the renewable water that the country relies on comes from outside its borders. He pointed out that the total renewable water resources amount to about 56.8 billion cubic meters annually, while water needs are estimated at around 123 billion cubic meters annually.

He previously stated that the per capita share of renewable water resources is about 472 cubic meters annually, which is below the absolute water scarcity line of 500 cubic meters per person per year.

Sweilem also confirmed that Egypt pursues a policy of peace and seeks negotiated solutions, but at the same time is capable of protecting its water interests. He emphasized that Cairo will not allow a repeat of the circumstances that accompanied the dam crisis in 2011, and that it retains all rights and measures provided by international law to defend its water security.

He explained that Egypt's restraint over the past years has been within the framework of seeking a fair and balanced agreement, and not an expression of acceptance of the status quo or a concession of rights, warning against interpreting Egyptian patience as approval of unilateral control over the Nile's waters.

The minister also pointed out that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, being a project for electricity generation, does not mean the absence of its impacts on downstream countries, clarifying that the issue is not only about the quantities of water but also about the timing of storage and release and operational rules.

He added that practical experiments have proven that uncoordinated and unilateral operation can lead to sudden increases in water flows, which Egypt describes as "industrial flooding," or to a reduction in flows causing what is known as "industrial drought," which affects the operation of dams and water facilities in downstream countries.

The minister also confirmed that the core issue is not limited to the arrival of water to downstream countries, but also concerns the timing of its arrival, its quantities, and the management mechanisms. Therefore, agreeing on operational rules, data exchange, and procedures for dealing with drought periods and refilling is an essential necessity to ensure the safe management of a shared international river, and not just a negotiating demand.

He emphasized that the waters of international rivers are not subject to the logic of granting or denying by the upstream country, but are governed by mutual rights and obligations according to international law.

In conclusion of his statements, he described Egyptian water security as an "existential issue," affirming that his country will not allow its citizens to bear the consequences of unilateral decisions made by any country outside its borders, and will not accept the imposition of a new reality on the eastern Nile.

It is noteworthy that Egypt fears that the filling and unilateral operation of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will harm its share of water, which will reflect on water and food security and electricity production from the High Dam.

Sudan continues to express ongoing concerns about the effects of the dam on the safety of its water facilities and dams. In contrast, Cairo and Khartoum insist on the necessity of reaching a binding legal agreement that regulates the rules for filling and operating the dam, as well as mechanisms for dealing with drought periods and resolving disputes.

Ethiopia, on the other hand, affirms its right to exploit its water resources to support development plans and generate energy, which has led to the continuation of disputes regarding the dam and keeps the crisis unresolved to this day.