Ethiopia on Wednesday issued one of its strongest statements yet against Egypt, accusing Cairo of attempting to destabilize the Horn of Africa to preserve what it called a “colonial-era” monopoly over the Nile River.
The sharply worded announcement from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs marks the latest escalation in the long-running diplomatic standoff surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), inaugurated in September.
In its statement, Addis Ababa said Egyptian officials were relying on an “obsolete playbook” aimed at creating “pliant, weak and fragmented client states” to advance Cairo’s interests.
“Steeped in a colonial mentality, some Egyptian officials believe they alone have a monopoly over the Nile,” the ministry said, dismissing Egypt’s invocation of “historical rights” as irrelevant and outdated.
Cairo intensifies international pressure
Wednesday’s remarks follow a series of fiery statements from Egypt since the dam’s completion. After the Sept. 9 inauguration, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty submitted a formal protest to the UN Security Council, calling Ethiopia’s unilateral operation of the GERD “unlawful” and warning that any assumption Egypt would ignore its “existential interests” was a “delusion.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation also accused Ethiopia of “reckless” water management, claiming uncoordinated releases contributed to severe flooding in parts of Sudan. Cairo argues the dam’s operation threatens downstream populations and violates international law.
Addis Ababa: GERD is sovereign right, symbol of development
Ethiopia, which sees the nearly $5 billion hydropower project as vital for national electrification and economic growth, has consistently rejected Egypt’s accusations.
“Ethiopia has no obligation to seek permission from anyone to use natural resources within its own borders,” the Foreign Ministry said, noting that roughly 86% of the Nile’s waters originate in the Ethiopian highlands.
The statement reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to the principle of “fair, reasonable and equitable utilization” of the river and urged Cairo to abandon what it described as a campaign of destabilization.