Addis Abeba — Ethiopia has called for stronger regional cooperation and hydro-diplomacy over shared water resources, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi warned that Cairo would not accept any fait accompli that compromises its water security, highlighting the persistent divide between the two countries over the management of the Nile.
The contrasting positions emerged as Ethiopia's third Water and Energy Week opened on 26 October and El-Sisi addressed the ninth Cairo Water Week a day earlier, with both countries emphasizing cooperation while maintaining their respective positions on the use and management of shared water resources.
In a message delivered on behalf of Water and Energy Minister Habtamu Itefa, Ethiopia's Ministry of Water and Energy emphasized the need for constructive engagement, reliable information-sharing and practical cooperation among countries sharing rivers. According to ENA, the ministry described hydro-diplomacy as a pathway to regional integration and called for science-based policymaking to turn shared water challenges into opportunities for development and stability.
The ministry also highlighted Ethiopia's water and renewable energy potential, stressing the importance of effective resource management, coordinated institutions and sustainable investment. It identified expanding access to affordable energy, improving water supply and sanitation, strengthening irrigation and water-use efficiency, and protecting groundwater and water-source catchments as key priorities.
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It further called for stronger hydrological and meteorological monitoring, improved basin information systems and greater collaboration among governments, researchers, investors and development partners to guide decisions on shared resources.
Egypt reiterates water security concerns
Speaking at the opening of Cairo Water Week on 25 October, El-Sisi said the Nile provides Egypt with more than 98% of its renewable water resources, making the river central to the country's water security.
In his address, reported by Xinhua News Agency, the Egyptian president said Cairo respected the right of all Nile Basin countries to development and supported cooperation in energy, agriculture and irrigation. He expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in the Eastern Nile Basin, particularly among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.
However, El-Sisi stressed that development must not come at the expense of another country's water security. "Any wager that Egypt will accept a fait accompli or compromise its water security is a losing wager," he said.
He argued that prior notification, the exchange of studies and consultation were practical tools for building trust and protecting the interests of countries sharing water resources. He also reiterated Egypt's commitment to cooperation based on international law, coordination, good neighbourliness and the principle of causing no harm.
The remarks reflect Cairo's longstanding concerns over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Ethiopia officially inaugurated in September 2025. Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly raised concerns about the dam's implications for downstream water security, while years of trilateral negotiations have failed to produce a binding agreement governing its filling and operation.
Ethiopia, meanwhile, has maintained that the hydropower project is intended to expand electricity generation and support economic development without harming downstream countries.
Cooperation remains untested
Despite their differing emphases, both countries have presented cooperation as necessary for managing shared water resources. Ethiopia's latest statement focused on hydro-diplomacy, integrated planning and science-based decision-making, while El-Sisi stressed consultation and safeguards against actions that could threaten Egypt's water security.
Their statements, however, do not indicate a breakthrough in the longstanding dispute over the GERD. The central challenge remains reconciling Ethiopia's development ambitions with Egypt's demand for assurances over the management of the Nile, alongside Sudan's interests as another downstream country.
Ethiopia's Water and Energy Week, running from 26 to 30 October, is expected to produce policy recommendations, partnerships and investment proposals aimed at strengthening the water and energy sectors. Cairo Water Week, held under the theme "Water as a Catalyst for Peace, Shared Prosperity and a Sustainable Planet," is bringing together participants to discuss water security, capacity-building and preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates in December.
Whether these parallel calls for cooperation translate into progress on the GERD dispute will depend on the three countries' ability to bridge their differences through sustained negotiations, information-sharing and arrangements that address their competing interests in the Nile's use and management.
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In September 2026 it was reported that Egypt has agreed to South Sudan's planned Grand Fula Dam after reviewing technical studies on the project, Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam said, as Cairo simultaneously reiterated its objections to Ethiopia's unilateral operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Sewilam made the remarks during a media briefing organized by Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) for more than 80 foreign correspondents in Cairo. The briefing focused on Egypt's water security, Nile Basin cooperation and the country's positions on major water projects in the region.
According to the minister, the Fula project is among 36 projects submitted under the Nile Basin Initiative's investment program. Egypt reviewed the studies, exchanged information, assessed potential impacts and participated in consultations before agreeing to support the project, he said.
"Egypt agreed to this dam among the 36 projects," Sewilam said, according to Radio Tamazuj. He described the process as an example of how prior notification, information exchange, impact assessment and consultation could facilitate development projects and access to financing.
