Egypt addresses letter to Security Council on developments in Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Egypt announced, on Sunday, "sending a letter to the UN Security Council regarding the developments of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam," in which it stressed that Addis Ababa's policies will have "negative effects" on the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan.

This came in a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, amid more than a decade of tension between Cairo and Addis Ababa due to disagreements over the filling and operation of the dam and Ethiopia’s refusal to sign an agreement that Egypt says will preserve its water rights (55.5 billion cubic meters annually), and days after Ethiopian criticism of Egyptian military cooperation with Somalia.

According to the statement, "Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati addressed a letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council today, Sunday, following the recent statements of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed regarding the fifth phase of filling the Renaissance Dam."

He added that Abiy Ahmed's statements about withholding a quantity of Blue Nile water this year and completing the construction of the concrete structure of the Ethiopian dam "are completely unacceptable to the Egyptian state, and represent a continuation of the Ethiopian approach that is causing trouble with its neighbors and threatening the stability of the region."

Abdel-Ati stressed "Egypt's categorical rejection of Ethiopia's unilateral policies that violate the rules and principles of international law."

He explained that "the end of the negotiations on the Renaissance Dam after 13 years of negotiations with sincere Egyptian intentions came after it became clear to everyone that Addis Ababa only wants to continue the existence of a negotiating cover for an indefinite period in order to establish a fait accompli, without having the political will to reach a solution."

The Egyptian Foreign Minister pointed out in his speech to the Security Council that "Ethiopia's illegal policies will have serious negative effects on the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan."

He explained that "despite the fact that the high level of the Nile flood in recent years, as well as the great Egyptian efforts, have contributed to dealing with the negative effects of the unilateral actions of the Renaissance Dam in the past years, Egypt continues to closely monitor developments and is prepared to take all measures and steps guaranteed by the United Nations Charter to defend its existence, the capabilities of its people and their interests."

The Supreme Committee for Nile Waters met last week, headed by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and "affirmed Egypt's right to defend its water security and take the necessary measures to achieve this at various levels," according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

For years, Cairo has been demanding that a legally binding tripartite agreement be reached first on the filling and operation of the dam, which began construction in 2011, especially during times of drought, to ensure the continued flow of their share of the Nile River water. Addis Ababa rejects this, saying that the dam is important for development efforts, especially through electricity generation, and will not harm the interests of any other country, which led to the negotiations being frozen for three years, before resuming in 2023.

On 17-19 December 2023, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan held the fourth round of tripartite negotiations in Addis Ababa.

Cairo then announced the end of the negotiations without achieving any results, accusing Ethiopia of rejecting any compromise solutions, and affirming its adherence to its right to defend its water security.

The annual filling operations of the dam since 2020 have witnessed repeated Egyptian rejection, which previously led to submitting a request to discuss the damages of the dam in the Security Council in 2021, followed by the issuance of a presidential statement from the Council urging the conclusion of an agreement.

Source: Anadolu Agency