Egypt vows to block new Ethiopian dams on Nile River

Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam on Tuesday declared that Cairo “will not allow” Ethiopia to build new dams on the Nile River, intensifying pressure amid reports that Addis Ababa plans three additional projects alongside the long-disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Plans for additional dams

Sewilam’s remarks came about two weeks after media reports indicated Ethiopia intends to construct three more dams on the Nile alongside the GERD, though Addis Ababa has not officially confirmed these plans. “It is well known that Ethiopia has plans to build new dams, but will the Egyptian state allow that? No,” Sewilam told reporters in Cairo, according to local media. He stressed that Egypt has repeatedly called for a clear and legally binding mechanism for exchanging operational data on the GERD to enable downstream countries to know expected water releases and annual operating plans.

Data sharing concerns

The absence of such information places Sudan in an “extremely difficult position,” Sewilam said, preventing Sudanese authorities from effectively operating their own dams or managing water storage without accurate data on the volume and timing of releases from Ethiopia. “Sudan should not be blamed for any disruption in water management under such circumstances,” he added, stating that responsibility lies with Ethiopia for refusing to commit to a legally binding mechanism for coordination with downstream countries.

Stalled negotiations

Sewilam reaffirmed that Egypt remains committed to reaching a legally binding agreement governing the filling and operation of the GERD, ensuring regular data exchange “in a way that safeguards the interests of all parties and reduces the risks associated with managing shared water resources.” Egypt and Sudan have long been at odds with Ethiopia over the dam, whose construction began in 2011, with Cairo and Khartoum insisting on a trilateral agreement before the project is fully operated while Ethiopia maintains such a pact is unnecessary.

The dispute led to a three-year suspension of negotiations before talks resumed in 2023, only to stall again in 2024. The Nile River, which stretches about 6,650 kilometers, is shared by 11 countries including Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.