Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, emphasized that Egypt retains all measures available under international law to protect its Nile water security. This statement was made during a media briefing organized by the State Information Service in Cairo, attended by over 80 correspondents from around 45 regional and international media outlets. Sewilam's remarks highlight Egypt's commitment to defending its water interests.
Sewilam specifically referred to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, as a unilateral measure affecting the river. He stressed that the completion of the dam and the passage of time do not imply that Egypt has accepted the situation. Egypt maintains its rights under international law, and Sewilam argued that the dam's operation without coordination could result in sharp changes in downstream water flows.
The Egyptian government has previously expressed concerns about sudden changes in Blue Nile discharges and limited access to operational data. These concerns are rooted in the country's heavy reliance on the Nile for its water needs. More than 98 percent of Egypt's renewable water resources come from outside its borders, with an annual renewable supply of around 56.8 billion cubic meters against an estimated demand of about 123 billion cubic meters.
Egypt's per-capita renewable water availability stands at around 472 cubic meters a year, below the 500-cubic-meter threshold commonly used to define absolute water scarcity. To address this challenge, Egypt currently reuses around 23.2 billion cubic meters of water annually and is expanding water treatment, desalination, groundwater use, and digital monitoring as part of its broader water-management strategy.
Despite these efforts, Sewilam stressed that they cannot replace the Nile as Egypt's primary source of fresh water. The minister emphasized Egypt's commitment to supporting cooperation among Nile Basin countries and seeking an inclusive framework for managing the shared river. This approach aims to balance Egypt's interests with the needs of other countries in the region.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was officially inaugurated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on September 9, 2025. Ethiopia has presented the project as a major hydropower development, while Egypt has continued to call for arrangements governing the dam's operation that protect the interests of downstream countries.
Sewilam concluded that Egypt will continue to support development in Nile Basin countries while rejecting unilateral measures affecting the river. The country will maintain its rights and interests under international law, ensuring a stable and secure water supply for its population. Egypt's stance underscores the complexities of managing shared water resources in the region.
Key points
- Egypt retains measures under international law to protect its Nile water security.
- The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam's operation without coordination could disrupt water infrastructure in Egypt and Sudan.
- Egypt's water situation leaves it highly dependent on resources originating outside its borders.
