Egypt Expresses Outrage as Ethiopia Completes Filling of Nile Dam Reservoir Amid Escalating Water Dispute

By Elias HAKIZIMANA.

Egypt has expressed strong disapproval following Ethiopia’s announcement of completing the filling of the reservoir at a highly contentious hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile River.

This project has been a point of contention between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan since its inception in 2011. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for nearly all its water supply, has accused Ethiopia of ignoring the concerns of downstream nations.

Ethiopia, however, maintains that the $4.2 billion (£3.4 billion) Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will not reduce the water share of Egypt and Sudan. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, “It is with great pleasure that I announce the successful completion of the fourth and final filling of the Renaissance Dam.” He acknowledged the “internal and external challenges” faced by the project but emphasized their resilience in overcoming them.

The dam started producing electricity in February 2022. Ethiopia anticipates that GERD will double its electricity output, a significant development boost for a country where half of the 127-million population lacks access to electricity. The dam aims to generate over 6,000 MW, located approximately 30 km (19 miles) from the Ethiopian-Sudanese border.

Egypt and Sudan have insisted on the need for a mutual agreement on the operation of GERD, fearing that Ethiopia’s growing energy demands might worsen their current water shortages. After being halted in 2021, negotiations resumed last month.

Sudan, currently engulfed in internal conflict between rival military factions, has not yet responded to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s announcement made on Sunday. Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a Facebook statement, condemned Ethiopia’s “unilateral” filling of the reservoir as a breach of a 2015 declaration of principles agreed upon by the three nations, calling Ethiopia’s actions “illegal.”

The statement highlighted, “The declaration of principles requires that the three countries reach a consensus on the rules governing the filling and operation of the GERD before initiating the filling process.” It further asserted, “Ethiopia’s unilateral actions are viewed as a disregard for the interests and rights of the downstream countries and their water security, as protected by international law principles.”

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