By Ebi Kesiena
Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hany Sewilam, has accused Ethiopia of “tampering” with the Nile River, according to a recent report by Sky News Arabia.
Cairo, Sewilam assured, is closely monitoring Ethiopia’s actions regarding Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) accusing Addis Ababa of unilaterally filling the dam and ignoring scientific and technical concerns.
In an interview with the media, Sewilam criticized Ethiopia’s approach as unjustified and unscientific, stating that there are irregularities in the dam’s filling and operation process.
He described the ongoing negotiations with Ethiopia as futile, claiming they serve only as a political cover rather than a genuine attempt to resolve the issue.
The Egyptian minister questioned Ethiopia’s decision to withhold billions of cubic meters of water while the dam is not yet ready to generate electricity, pointing out that this exposes the stored water to significant evaporation.
Also, Sewilam highlighted Egypt’s long-standing efforts to propose technical solutions, only to be met with weak arguments from Ethiopia, as he attributed the failure of negotiations over the past 12 years to Ethiopia’s lack of political will to reach a binding agreement.
When asked about the current impact of the GERD on Egypt, he said, “it is too early to assess the full extent of the damage, as the effects can only be determined after the completion of the dam’s filling season. However, he emphasized that Egypt’s water security remains critically dependent on the Nile, affirming that the country cannot afford to lose a single cubic meter of water.
Sewilam further revealed that Egypt is already experiencing severe water shortages, with the per capita water share.
As part of its broader water management strategy, Egypt is expanding its water desalination projects to keep pace with its rapidly growing population. The minister also acknowledged that recent years of above-average flooding have helped mitigate potential damage from water shortages, but warned that future droughts could severely affect Egypt’s water security.
Despite these challenges, Sewilam reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment towards the protection of its citizens from any negative impact of the GERD, stressing that, “the country has already taken costly measures to safeguard its water supply.”
He cautioned, however, that the potential for future droughts remains a serious concern.
