Egypt vows to take all necessary legal measures to protect water security

CAIRO – 27 September 2025: Egypt will take all necessary measures, in line with international law, to safeguard its water security, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed Friday during talks with his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh.

Abdelatty underlined Egypt’s rejection of unilateral actions in the Eastern Nile Basin that contravene international law, stressing the importance of cooperation to ensure the shared interests of all Nile Basin countries.

The Egyptian remarks come while Ethiopia officially inaugurated its 74 billion cubic meter GERD this month despite longstanding objection by Egypt and Sudan, the downstream countries.

Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly affirmed that they are not against development in Ethiopia but warned that the unilateral filling and operation of the massive reservoir without a binding legal agreement threatens their water security and violates international law.

The dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has strained Ethiopia's relations with Egypt and Sudan for more than a decade.

Ethiopia defends its $5 billion dam project, viewing it as a sovereign right and crucial for its development and energy needs.

The Ethiopian government claims the dam will benefit the region. Meanwhile, Cairo has reiterated that it will not compromise any harm to its water share and Khartoum has raised concerns over dam safety and downstream management.

Egypt states that the filling and operation of the dam without a legally-binding agreement represent an “existential threat” with the country relying on the Nile for over 98 percent of its water supply.