The Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy has issued a strongly worded statement denouncing Egypt’s renewed hostility and “hegemonic ambitions” over the Nile River and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The Ministry accused Cairo of perpetuating outdated, colonial-era claims to the Nile’s waters while undermining regional cooperation and Ethiopia’s sovereign right to development.
In the press release, Ethiopia criticised Egypt’s recent remarks at a high-level gathering, where Egyptian officials described their actions as acts of “African solidarity” through projects such as solar-powered wells and rainwater harvesting facilities. Addis Ababa dismissed this narrative as “patronising and symbolic,” asserting that Egypt’s interpretation of solidarity fails to reflect Africa’s contemporary aspirations for equality, self-determination, and mutual growth.
“Genuine solidarity,” the statement declared, “requires recognising the legitimate right of all riparian nations to utilise the Nile fairly and equitably as a shared resource.” It argued that Egypt’s insistence on a self-proclaimed “historic right” to the Nile’s waters—rooted in colonial agreements that excluded upstream nations—remains the principal obstacle to meaningful cooperation.
Ethiopia underscored that it contributes 85 percent of the Nile’s waters through the Abbay (Blue Nile) River and will not be pressured into relinquishing its rightful use of the resource. The statement affirmed that “Ethiopia’s rise is a reality that cannot be reversed despite machinations, proxy shenanigans, and ill-conceived attempts of its adversaries.”
The Ministry further accused Egypt of negotiating in bad faith during talks over the GERD’s filling and operation, as well as during discussions on the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), the only basin-wide treaty encompassing all riparian states. Egypt’s continued efforts to enforce its “historic rights,” including alleged out-of-basin water diversions without consultation, were described as “illegal, reckless, and water-wasting.”
Contrary to Egyptian claims of drought and flooding threats, Addis Ababa insisted that such arguments are “fabricated extremes” designed to create crisis narratives. Ethiopia reaffirmed its cooperation with Sudan on the GERD, highlighting ongoing coordination and shared development goals between the two countries.
The statement concluded by emphasising Ethiopia’s long-standing expertise in hydroelectric dam management and its commitment to diplomacy. “Ethiopia continues to choose friendly relations with Egypt and has never initiated diplomatic spats or unwarranted belligerence,” the Ministry asserted, urging Cairo to pursue “rational engagement based on equity and mutual respect.”
