Negotiations with Ethiopia have reached ‘dead end’ after 13 years of fruitless talks, FM Abdelatty

CAIRO – 12 November 2025: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said on Wednesday that the Ethiopian dam issue has reached a critical juncture.

He explained in statements to Al Nahar television channel that negotiations with Ethiopia have reached a dead end after more than 13 years of fruitless talks. He noted that Egypt engaged in these negotiations in good faith, but the Ethiopian side exploited them to impose a fait accompli.

Abdelatty added that the Egyptian state, with all its institutions, is united in declaring this negotiating track completely closed.  He noted that Cairo is closely monitoring the situation on the ground to guard against any potential harm to Egyptian national security or water security.

He also added that Egypt has the full right to defend its water interests in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, noting that the international community, including the United States, is fully aware of the dimensions of the Egyptian position and its legitimate and clear foundations.

Regarding coordination with Sudan, the Foreign Minister explained that there is complete alignment in positions between Cairo and Khartoum, as the Egyptian stance primarily serves Sudanese interests, followed by Egyptian interests.

He pointed out that past experiences have proven that Ethiopia's unilateral actions, whether by impounding water without coordination or by suddenly opening the dam's gates, have caused significant damage, first to Sudan and then to Egypt, through reduced water levels and the flooding of vast areas of land.

Abdelatty emphasized that these unilateral policies cannot continue, as the destinies of Egypt and Sudan are intertwined and their interests are inextricably linked. He explained that coordination between the two sides takes place daily at the highest levels.

Abdelatty added that Sudan is Egypt's strategic depth, just as Egypt is Sudan's strategic depth.

“It breaks our hearts and deeply saddens us to witness the systematic destruction of the Sudanese people's resources through this ongoing war and the atrocities and massacres committed in Darfur. Therefore, the continuation of this war is painful for all of us because, as I mentioned, it is destroying the Sudanese people's resources, and we fear for Sudan, for its unity, and for its sovereignty,” Abdelatty said.

He added: “The partition plan is a possibility, and this would be extremely dangerous for Sudan, for the Sudanese people, and also for Egypt. Because what happens in Egypt affects Sudan, and what happens in Sudan naturally affects Egypt.”