CAIRO, (HAN) — Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council head, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, reaffirmed their countries’ firm rejection of any unilateral actions by Ethiopia concerning the Blue Nile, according to a joint statement following their meeting this week.
The two leaders met to discuss regional developments, particularly Ethiopia’s construction and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) — a massive hydroelectric project on the Blue Nile that has triggered years of tension between Addis Ababa, Cairo, and Khartoum.
El-Sisi and Al-Burhan stressed that the issue of the dam should only be resolved through dialogue and a binding trilateral agreement among Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. They said such an accord is essential to safeguard the interests and water rights of downstream nations that depend heavily on the Nile River.
The GERD, located near Ethiopia’s border with Sudan, has been a source of deep diplomatic friction since Ethiopia began filling the reservoir without a comprehensive agreement. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90 percent of its freshwater, has warned that the dam could threaten its water security, while Sudan has raised concerns about the dam’s safety and its impact on water flow.
Ethiopia insists the GERD is vital for its development and electricity generation needs and has maintained that the project will not significantly harm downstream countries.
The leaders’ renewed joint stance underscores ongoing regional divisions over the management of the Nile waters, despite years of African Union–mediated negotiations that have yet to produce a final deal.
