"Illusions".. Egypt's First Response to Ethiopian Statements Regarding "Control" Over Nile Water Flows

- A responsible Egyptian source responded on Sunday to the recent statements attributed to Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa, in which he spoke about building additional dams on the Nile River and "controlling" water flows to the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan. The responsible source stated that these statements "represent a continuation of the Ethiopian unilateral approach in blatant violation of international law, and reflect Addis Ababa's ongoing illusions of being able to impose dominance over a shared international river and subject it to the will of one state," according to what was reported by the Egyptian government website "Ahram Gate."

The responsible source confirmed that "these statements once again undermine the repeated Ethiopian claims that its actions aim at development without harming others; as the explicit announcement of the pursuit to (control) the flows of an international river to the downstream countries reveals a highly dangerous trend that does not aim to achieve legitimate development, but rather reflects an attempt to impose a fait accompli, monopolize a shared international water resource, and use geographical location to threaten the water rights and interests of the downstream countries, which is not recognized by international law, and Egypt will not allow it to be imposed as a fait accompli," according to "Ahram Gate." The Egyptian source emphasized in his statements that "the Nile River does not belong to any one state," and that what he described as "illusions of controlling it or unilaterally managing its flows" starkly contradicts the established rules of international law governing shared international rivers, foremost among them being the principles of not causing harm, consultation, consensus, cooperation in good faith, and respecting the rights and interests of the other basin countries.

The responsible Egyptian source clarified that Egypt had previously announced in its letters to the Security Council that it would take all measures guaranteed to it under international law to protect the rights and capabilities of its people in the Nile River, emphasizing that the tools of the Egyptian state are diverse and capable of accessing and defending the interests of the Egyptian people in the Nile River, and that "Egypt will not accept or allow any parties to control the water flows to the downstream countries," according to the "Ahram Gate" website. Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa spoke about the "Cooperative Framework Agreement for the Nile River," which he said came into effect a few days ago, explaining that it "will recognize the legal rights of all Nile Basin countries and make them subject to fair distribution and sustainable use of water," according to what was reported by the official Ethiopian news agency "ENA."

The Ethiopian Minister of Water explained that the implementation of the agreement "will enable the establishment of a Nile Basin Committee that will be responsible for managing and protecting the Nile River for the benefit of all and will serve as a cornerstone for cooperation," according to what the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported. He added that the agreement is a "joint legal framework for the riparian countries, and a testament to their shared commitment to using the Nile River for the benefit of all, affirming the right to use water resources equitably and justly."

The Ethiopian Minister of Water pointed out that "the agreement will correct existing disparities in the use of Nile waters by ensuring shared resources for all Nile countries," explaining that "the agreement will recognize the legal rights of all Nile Basin countries and make them subject to fair distribution and sustainable use of water, without violating the rights of others," as he expressed, noting that the agreement obliges everyone to protect the Nile and its environment, and to use water in a way that does not harm future users. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, is at the center of a long-standing dispute among the three countries, Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, after successive rounds of negotiations failed to reach a comprehensive agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam.

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa with 120 million people, considers the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which costs $5 billion and is located on the Blue Nile, the most important tributary of the Nile, essential and pivotal to its economic development ambitions. Work on it began in 2011, and it is expected that the dam's energy generation will eventually increase to 5,150 megawatts, up from the 750 megawatts currently produced by its active turbines. Egypt, which built the Aswan High Dam on the Nile in the 1960s, fears that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will reduce its share of water supplies during drought periods and lead to the construction of other dams upstream.

Egypt has strongly opposed the construction of the dam from the beginning, arguing that it violates water treaties dating back to the British colonial era and poses an existential threat, as Egypt, with a population of about 108 million, relies on the Nile for about 90% of its freshwater. Sudan has joined Egypt's calls for legally binding agreements on the filling and operation of the dam, but it may also benefit from improved flood management and access to cheap energy.

Cairo's position received support from President Donald Trump during his first and second terms. Trump stated that "the situation is serious, and Cairo may end up blowing up that dam," but his administration failed to reach an agreement regarding the project, as years of discussions about it did not result in any agreement.