Egypt has rejected recent remarks by Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu Itefa, over plans to construct additional dams on the Blue Nile. Cairo dismissed what he described as Ethiopia’s ability to “control” water flows to downstream countries, warning that it will not accept any attempt to unilaterally control the river’s flow.
An Egyptian government source, quoted by the state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA) on Sunday, described the Ethiopian statements as reflecting what he called Addis Ababa’s “illusions” that it could impose control over a shared international river and subject its management to the will of a single state.
The source said Ethiopia’s explicit reference to seeking control over Nile flows contradicted its repeated assertions that its water projects are intended to support development without harming downstream countries.
He described the remarks as a potentially dangerous attempt to impose a fait accompli, monopolize a shared international water resource and use Ethiopia’s geographical position to threaten the water rights and interests of Egypt and Sudan.
“Egypt will not accept or allow any party to control water flows to downstream countries,” the source said.
Egypt Cites International Law
The Egyptian source stressed that “the Nile does not belong to any particular country,” arguing that unilateral control over its flows would conflict with established principles of international law governing shared international waterways.
These principles include avoiding harm to other states, consultation, cooperation in good faith and respecting the rights and interests of other countries sharing the river basin, according to the source.
He also reiterated that Egypt has previously informed the UN Security Council that it would take all measures available under international law to protect its rights and national interests in the Nile.
The source said Egypt has “multiple and diverse state tools” capable of protecting the interests of the Egyptian people and defending the country’s water rights.
Ethiopia Calls for More Blue Nile Dams
The Egyptian response followed remarks by Itefa during an interview with Ethiopia’s state-run ENA news agency, in which he advocated building additional dams on the Blue Nile as part of Ethiopia’s ambition to become a regional hub for hydropower exports.
Itefa said that once the additional dams are constructed, Ethiopia would be able to “control the flow of water to downstream countries.”
He also linked Ethiopia’s development strategy to the Abay River, Ethiopia’s name for the Blue Nile, and the Red Sea, describing both as strategic pillars for national development and regional connectivity.
The remarks add fresh tension to the longstanding dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the management and use of Nile waters.
Plans for Three More Dams
Ethiopian media have previously reported plans for what has been described as the “Blue Nile Cascade Project,” involving the construction of three additional dams on the Blue Nile over seven years.
The projects are reportedly expected to require around $10.5 billion in investment and form part of Ethiopia’s broader plans to become a regional energy hub.
The proposed projects could further complicate the dispute surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), particularly over the cumulative impact of multiple upstream dams and the management of water flows during periods of drought.
Egypt has repeatedly called for a legally binding agreement governing the operation of the GERD and other projects that could affect downstream water flows. Ethiopia, meanwhile, maintains that it has the right to develop its water resources and expand electricity generation.
The latest exchange comes as tensions over the Nile remain high, with Cairo warning that any attempt to establish unilateral control over flows to downstream countries would represent a serious threat to its water security and national interests. See less
