In a phone interview with a local Egyptian channel, Alam explained that completely filling the dam and operating the emergency spillway without justification poses a direct threat. It could lead to the flooding of Sudanese lands in the event of high floods next month due to the depletion of the emergency reserve. He added that the dam’s storage capacity is divided into three main parts: a live storage for power generation, an emergency reserve to face floods, and a sediment storage. He emphasized that using the emergency reserve exposes Sudan to significant risks, while threatening Egypt with a reduction in its water share from the Nile, especially with predictions of lower water levels during the expected drought years starting from next year.
He concluded his remarks by criticizing the “unilateral policy” adopted by Ethiopia in managing the dam without consulting the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, considering this approach increases regional complexities and threatens stability in the region. Last Saturday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr firmly stated that Egypt will not compromise on the issue of water and will not tolerate losing a single drop.
In his speech at the “Maspero” cultural salon, he emphasized that the water issue is Egypt’s foremost existential concern, and under no circumstances can Egypt compromise or tolerate on water matters, highlighting the importance of this resource for the nation’s survival. From the south, Sudan is witnessing violence and terrorism threatening its entity and regional security, while from the north, issues of maritime boundary delineation in the Mediterranean relate to massive gas reserves and other strategic resources.
He pointed out that all these challenges are erupting simultaneously, referring to President Abdel Fattah’s statement and his call for citizens to remain reassured despite conspiracies against the nation. He stressed that Egypt is a strong state with national institutions and will not allow anyone to harm its borders, national security, or strategic interests, primarily its water interests. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is the largest infrastructure project in Ethiopia’s history, launched after years of regional and international controversy over its implications for the Nile waters. Egypt considers that the dam negatively affects its historical right to the Nile waters.
