ADDIS ABABA — Over 14 years of talks between Ethiopia and Egypt over the Abbay Dam have failed largely due to Egypt's refusal to move beyond outdated treaties and its reluctance to recognize Ethiopia's rights, an expert said.
Water diplomacy scholar Tilahun Erduno (PhD) explained that successive Egyptian governments continue to base their claims on the 1929 and 1959 Nile agreements, despite the fact that Ethiopia was never a party to them.
He said Cairo has consistently avoided acknowledging that most of the Nile's waters originate from Ethiopia, while presenting the river as solely Egypt's lifeline.
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According to him, Ethiopia has repeatedly assured downstream countries that Abbay Dam was not built to harm them but rather to serve mutual interests. He noted that the dam helps reduce flooding, improve water regulation, minimize silt damage and save water otherwise lost to evaporation in the desert. Despite these benefits, Egypt has resisted accepting the dam as a project that could enhance regional cooperation.
Tilahun stressed that Ethiopia's determination to build the dam is also rooted in pressing national needs. More than half of the population lacks access to electricity, millions remain without clean drinking water and the majority of the country's hydro-power potential lies in the Abbay Basin. With its fast-growing population exceeding 130 million, Ethiopia has no option but to develop its natural resources to tackle poverty, unemployment and food insecurity.
He added that Egypt has instead tried to rally international and regional actors against Ethiopia, relying on diplomatic pressure and even military threats rather than constructive dialogue. This, he said, has only prolonged the deadlock and prevented both countries from benefiting from genuine cooperation.
"Egypt must realize that clinging to colonial-era treaties and pursuing hostility will not solve its water challenges. A new approach based on cooperation with Ethiopia is the only viable way forward," Tilahun remarked.
He underscored that the two countries, along with Sudan, could achieve shared prosperity if they embraced partnership instead of confrontation, which would also align with Africa's Agenda 2063 aspirations.
