The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Minister Abdel Aaty discussed Cairo’s concerns regarding the Nile River and Egyptian water security with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Entebbe. It was noted that Cairo’s position is based on the necessity of adhering to international law rules concerning shared water resources. According to the statement, Abdel Aaty emphasized that the Nile waters are a matter of existential importance for Egypt, expressing his aspirations to enhance regional integration and cooperation among Nile Basin countries to strengthen fraternal ties and support development among African nations.
Addis Ababa is preparing to hold an official ceremony in September to mark the occasion, following Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s announcement earlier in July about the completion of the dam’s construction by the end of this summer. Meanwhile, Egypt reiterated its rejection of what it described as the ‘unilateral approach’ adopted in managing the dam project, considering that the continued filling and operation of the dam without a legally binding agreement with the downstream countries is a blatant violation of international law.
Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, previously stated that ‘the Ethiopian behavior poses a direct threat to the water interests of Egypt and Sudan, ignoring fundamental principles related to the fair and equitable use of shared water resources.’
