Egypt has accused Ethiopia of politicising the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), saying Addis Ababa's unilateral actions have negatively affected water supplies to both Egypt and Sudan.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Cairo on Monday alongside Mozambique's Foreign Minister, Manuela Lucas, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty described water security as an "existential issue" and a top national priority that cannot be compromised.
Abdelatty said Ethiopia has continued to operate the dam without prior coordination or a legally binding agreement with downstream countries, accusing Addis Ababa of disregarding international law and established principles governing shared rivers.
He also claimed that Ethiopia's recent retention of water caused water levels in Sudan to decline, affecting access to water for Sudanese communities.
"Egypt is not against Ethiopia's right to development," Abdelatty said. "However, development must not come at the expense of the rights and livelihoods of Egypt and Sudan."
The GERD, Africa's largest hydroelectric project, has remained a source of tension since construction began in 2011. Ethiopia officially inaugurated the dam in 2025 and maintains that the project is essential for its economic development and electricity generation.
Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly called for a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam before its full implementation. Ethiopia, however, insists that such an agreement is unnecessary and says the project will not cause significant harm to downstream nations.
Negotiations over the dispute resumed in 2023 after a three-year pause but stalled again in 2024, leaving the longstanding disagreement unresolved.
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