Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
Ethiopia Responds to Egypt’s Remarks on Nile and GERD
Addis Ababa, October 13, 2025
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy has issued a statement responding to recent comments from Egyptian officials regarding the Nile River and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), accusing Egypt of intensifying what it described as “hostile rhetoric” toward Ethiopia.
In the statement, the ministry criticized remarks made by Egyptian officials at a recent event focused on Nile Basin issues. The Ethiopian government argued that Egypt’s claims of supporting African countries through development projects such as drilling solar-powered wells and constructing rainwater harvesting facilities reflect what it called an outdated view of African solidarity.
According to the ministry, true solidarity among Nile Basin countries should be based on recognizing the right of all riparian states to utilize the river’s resources in an equitable and reasonable manner. The statement accused Egypt of maintaining a “colonial-era mindset” and pursuing policies aimed at undermining Ethiopia rather than promoting cooperation.
Ethiopia reiterated its position that it has the right to use its share of the Nile waters to meet its own development needs. It emphasized that the country, which contributes the majority of the Nile’s flow through the Abbay (Blue Nile) River, would not be deterred by what it described as external pressure or “ill-conceived attempts” to limit its development.
The ministry also accused Egypt of failing to negotiate in good faith during past talks on the GERD’s filling and operation, as well as in broader discussions concerning the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) a proposed basin-wide treaty that Ethiopia and several other riparian countries have signed, but Egypt has not.
Furthermore, Ethiopia rejected Egypt’s continued assertion of “historic rights” to the Nile waters, calling such claims self-serving and rooted in colonial-era agreements. The statement also criticized Egypt’s alleged diversion of Nile waters for out-of-basin use without consultation.
Ethiopia maintained that water security for all riparian countries should be based on equitable utilization rather than unilateral claims. It called for dialogue grounded in mutual respect and international law, stating that cooperation not confrontation remains the most sustainable path forward.
The ministry reaffirmed that Ethiopia continues to prioritize diplomacy in its dealings with Egypt and Sudan, noting what it described as effective coordination with Sudan on the operation of the GERD. It also highlighted Ethiopia’s experience in dam management and its environmental efforts, including the Green Legacy Initiative, which it said contributes positively to the Nile Basin ecosystem.
