Egypt says Aswan High Dam cornerstone of water security amid Ethiopia's unilateral GERD measures

CAIRO – 22 July 2026: Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam has reassured Egyptians that the Aswan High Dam remains the cornerstone of the country's water security amid unilateral measures associated with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

However, he warned that the absence of a legally binding agreement on the mega dam, coupled with Addis Ababa's continued unilateral actions, has disrupted water management in downstream Sudan.

Speaking to MBC Masr’s Yahdoth Fi Misr program about the impact of the dam, Sewilam said the Sudanese dam operators are forced to make preventive decisions amid lack of information from the Ethiopian side.

“Sudan's dam operator is forced to make [operational] decisions because the upstream flows are effectively a 'black box.' There is neither an agreement nor any exchange of data," Sewilam said.

As a result, Sudanese authorities tend to lower reservoir water levels as a precaution as a safety precaution, he said.

However, Sewilam noted that reducing water levels is not a simple task because dams are designed to store water and maintain sufficient levels for hydropower generation.

"The easiest way to ensure 100% safety would be to empty the reservoir, but then the dam would lose its purpose, as it would neither generate electricity nor store water," he said.

Instead, Sudanese operators are forced to strike a balance between releasing enough water to maintain safety while preserving sufficient storage, Sewilam said.

He emphasized that the lack of data sharing and a legally binding agreement on the “unlawful” GERD continues to create disruptions in dam operations and water management downstream.

Aswan Dam, Nile Fluctuations

Sewilam also dismissed predictions about an imminent drought season based on the data from the initial phase of the flood season, saying it is far too early to make such predictions.

He reassured Egyptians that the Aswan High Dam, with its vast storage capacity and operational flexibility, remains "the cornerstone" of the country's water security, enabling Egypt to withstand the unilateral measures associated with GERD.

"The High Dam can secure Egypt's water needs for several years, not just for this season," he said.

Sudan's Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation said Blue Nile inflows into the Roseires Reservoir fell from 207 million cubic metres per day to 129 million cubic metres per day between July 7 and 9 following reduced discharges from GERD.

Sewilam reassured the Egyptian people that “if what you are seeing on television in Sudan happens, Allah willing, it will not happen in Egypt in the coming years, not just this year,” he said.