Egypt Declares GERD Negotiations Exhausted, Cites Ethiopian Evasiveness

Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam announced that Cairo has explored all avenues for negotiation regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute. He stressed that Egypt's approach has been characterized by patience and endurance, yet Ethiopia has not provided a response conducive to reaching an agreement.

Speaking at a session titled “National and Citizen Security” during the third day of the Egypt Forum, in the presence of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the minister stated that Egypt had exerted maximum effort to resolve the crisis. This included active participation in negotiations and the signing of the 2015 Declaration of Principles agreement. Egypt viewed this declaration as a gesture of goodwill towards Ethiopia, aiming to foster peaceful coexistence and shared interests.

Sewilam explained that Cairo had hoped the Declaration of Principles would steer the situation away from the course set by the GERD project's inception in 2011. However, he noted that Addis Ababa failed to adhere to the agreed-upon terms, perpetuating disputes over the rules for filling and operating the dam, as well as managing drought and prolonged dry periods.

Recounting the negotiation history, Sewilam highlighted that talks held in Washington produced a balanced draft agreement, endorsed by all three nations. This draft was designed to protect the water rights and interests of all parties, including future generations.

Ethiopia's Evasiveness

He accused Ethiopia of deliberately avoiding signing the agreement and subsequently shifting the issue to alternative negotiation tracks that proved fruitless. This ultimately led Egypt to withdraw from negotiations that were failing to yield a conclusive outcome. The US-sponsored talks, with World Bank involvement, had made progress on drafting operational and filling rules but did not culminate in a final, signed accord among the three countries.

A central point of contention remains the absence of a legally binding agreement that governs dam management during drought conditions, alongside mechanisms for data sharing and operational coordination to prevent significant harm to downstream nations, Egypt and Sudan. The dispute originated in 2011 when Ethiopia commenced construction of the GERD on the Blue Nile, intended for electricity generation and national development. Cairo maintains that it does not oppose Ethiopia's development and power generation goals but insists on a legally binding agreement detailing filling and operation rules to secure its water security. Addis Ababa, conversely, asserts its right to utilize its water resources for national development.

Sewilam further commented that the Nile issue should not be confined solely to the dispute with Ethiopia. He pointed out that the Nile Basin encompasses 11 nations, and Egypt's relationships with other basin countries have seen considerable advancement during President Sisi's administration.

Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement

Addressing the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (also known as the Entebbe Agreement), Sewilam indicated that all basin countries except one have agreed to reconsider and discuss the agreement. He asserted that solutions are achievable with the presence of political will and genuine intentions. The Entebbe Agreement emerged from regional efforts to establish a new legal framework for cooperation and benefit-sharing among basin states. However, controversy persists regarding Egypt and Sudan's stance on certain provisions, particularly those concerning existing water rights and uses, which continues to challenge comprehensive consensus among basin countries.

Sewilam concluded by emphasizing that other Nile Basin countries do not face the same level of water crisis as Egypt. Cairo experiences severe water scarcity due to limited resources relative to its escalating demands, relying heavily on the Nile River for its fundamental water security amidst increasing pressures from population growth, agricultural expansion, and climate change.