Egypt Rejects Ethiopia's Control Over Nile Waters, Citing International Law

Egypt has firmly declared it will not permit Ethiopia to establish a "fait accompli" concerning the waters of the Nile River. This strong stance comes in response to statements attributed to Ethiopia's Minister of Water and Energy regarding the construction of new dams and control over water flow to downstream nations.

An official source, cited by the Middle East News Agency, described the Ethiopian statements as a "perpetuation of unilateral approaches" and a breach of international law. Cairo believes these actions represent an attempt to monopolize a shared international water resource and impose a new reality on Egypt and Sudan.

Egypt argues that Ethiopia's declared intention to control the flow of an international river reveals a dangerous trajectory, contradicting Addis Ababa's repeated claims that its projects are solely for development without harming others. Cairo emphasizes that the Nile River does not belong to any single nation.

Furthermore, Egypt asserts that any unilateral attempt to control the river's flow violates international law principles for shared rivers. These include the principle of non-harm, consultation, good-faith cooperation, and respect for the rights and interests of other basin countries. Egypt has previously informed the UN Security Council of its intention to employ all legally available measures to safeguard its rights and resources related to the Nile.