Cairo: Egypt’s water resources and irrigation minister has underscored the nation’s firm stance on safeguarding its Nile River water rights, declaring that the country will not compromise on what it considers a national security issue. Hani Sewilam emphasized Egypt’s heavy reliance on the river, which accounts for 98% of its renewable water resources, during a seminar on water security for Egyptian military diplomatic personnel.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Sewilam outlined Egypt’s enduring policy anchored in international law concerning shared rivers. He highlighted the importance of dialogue and cooperation among Nile Basin countries to achieve mutual benefits. Sewilam reiterated the country’s refusal to accept any infringement on its water rights, particularly in light of the ongoing dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The disagreement centers on Ethiopia’s unilateral actions concerning the dam, which have raised concerns for the downstream nations of E
gypt and Sudan. These countries have consistently called for a binding legal agreement to regulate the dam’s operation and reservoir filling, a proposal Ethiopia has rejected despite over a decade of negotiations.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi recently affirmed to African officials that while Egypt harbors no ill will towards Ethiopia, it insists on securing its water rights and reaching a legally binding agreement on the dam’s management. The GERD’s reservoir, with a capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, poses potential risks to Egypt and Sudan, particularly during droughts or floods, if not managed cooperatively.

In recent developments, Egypt accused Ethiopia of causing a ‘man-made flood’ in October by hastily and unilaterally filling the dam, a move it claims endangered populations and resources in the downstream countries.