CAIRO – 3 July 2025: Egypt’s Minister of Irrigation Hani Sweilem said that the Ethiopian repeated calls to resume negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam are ‘mere formality’ attempts to improve Ethiopia's international image and present it as a negotiating party.
However, reality, and the negotiation process that has extended for more than thirteen years without reaching a legally binding agreement, clearly demonstrates the lack of political will of the Ethiopian side and the lack of credibility and seriousness in these calls, given the absence of any indication of a genuine intention to transform these words into clear commitments and tangible actions on the ground.
He emphasized that Ethiopia's evasive and regressive positions, which impose a ‘fait accompli’, contradict its declared desire to negotiate, a fact that the international community must recognize.
Sweilem stressed during a meeting with a number of ambassadors transferred to head Egyptian diplomatic missions abroad, that Egypt has demonstrated a sincere political commitment to reaching a binding legal agreement that achieves common interests and prevents harm to the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan. These efforts have been met with a lack of political will on the part of Ethiopia.
He also explained that Ethiopia has consistently promoted the completion of the dam—which is illegal and violates international law—despite the failure to reach a binding agreement with the downstream countries and despite the substantial reservations expressed by both Egypt and Sudan.
This reflects an Ethiopian approach based on an ideology that seeks to impose water hegemony rather than adopting the principle of partnership and cooperation, something the Egyptian state will not allow to happen.
Sweilem emphasized that Egypt categorically rejects any attempts to impose development in Ethiopia at the expense of the rights of the downstream countries.
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