CAIRO — Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation says the operation of Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is forcing Cairo to continuously adjust the management of its own water infrastructure due to fluctuating water releases from upstream.
The ministry said changes in water flows resulting from Ethiopia’s unilateral operation of the dam require constant updates to the operating plans for Egypt’s dams, canals, and irrigation networks to ensure efficient water distribution and protect the country’s limited water resources.
Egypt reiterated its longstanding position that the GERD should be operated under a legally binding agreement among Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, arguing that coordinated management is essential to reduce risks during droughts and periods of low river flow. Cairo has repeatedly expressed concern that unilateral decisions could threaten its water security.
Ethiopia, however, maintains that the GERD is a sovereign development project designed to generate electricity and has consistently argued that the dam will not cause significant harm to downstream countries. Addis Ababa has favored non-binding guidelines over a legally binding operational agreement.
The GERD dispute has remained one of Africa’s most significant transboundary water disagreements, with years of negotiations failing to produce a comprehensive agreement on the filling and long-term operation of the dam.
