Egypt condemns Ethiopian dam operations as violation of international law

CAIRO - 9 September 2025: Egypt, represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration Dr. Badr Abdelatty, sent an official letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday in response to Ethiopia’s recent event celebrating the completion and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Cairo emphasized that the move constitutes a clear breach of international law and established norms.

The Foreign Minister stressed that Ethiopia’s attempts to give the dam a false veneer of legitimacy cannot alter the fact that it remains a unilateral action in violation of international law. He affirmed that such actions produce no legal consequences regarding the governing framework of the Eastern Nile Basin under international law.

He further noted that Ethiopia’s behavior represents yet another addition to a long list of violations, including the UN Security Council Presidential Statement issued on September 15, 2021. Egypt reiterated its firm stance in rejecting all unilateral Ethiopian measures on the Nile and its refusal to recognize any consequences that may threaten the vital interests of the downstream states, Egypt and Sudan.

In its letter to the Security Council, Egypt highlighted that since Ethiopia’s unilateral launch of the GERD project years ago, Cairo has exercised maximum restraint, choosing diplomacy and recourse to international organizations such as the United Nations. This approach, Egypt clarified, does not stem from an inability to defend its existential interests, but rather from a deep commitment to cooperation and mutual benefit among Nile Basin countries in accordance with international law. Egypt emphasized that sustainable development can only be achieved by considering the concerns of downstream nations.

By contrast, Addis Ababa has consistently adopted intransigent positions, deliberately stalling negotiations and attempting to impose unilateral realities. Cairo accused Ethiopia of pursuing a politically driven agenda aimed at mobilizing domestic support against an imagined external enemy, under the pretext of sovereignty over the Nile—a river regarded as a shared resource for all riparian states.

Egypt strongly rejected any illusion that it might compromise on its existential rights in the Nile waters. The statement affirmed that Cairo remains committed to enforcing international law and will not permit Ethiopia to monopolize the management of shared water resources. Egypt further underlined that it reserves the right to take all measures guaranteed under international law and the UN Charter to safeguard the vital interests of its people.