Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty
During a series of phone calls over 48 hours with his counterparts in Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia, Abdelatty discussed a range of African issues.
During the calls, Egypt’s top diplomat stressed that water security represents a matter of existence for Egyptians, stressing the necessity of adhering to the rules of international law with regard to shared water resources.
He affirmed the necessity of cooperation to achieve mutual benefit based on international law, and rejected unilateral measures that contravene international law in the Eastern Nile Basin, the statement added.
Abdelatty’s remarks came as Ethiopia announced plans to inaugurate its disputed dam, known as GERD, in September after it had filled its reservoir in five stages between 2020 and 2024 unilaterally.
Construction of the GERD began in 2011, sparking tensions between upstream Ethiopia and downstream Egypt and Sudan, both of which have demanded a legally binding agreement governing the dam’s filling and operation.
Last week, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, speaking at a joint press conference with his Ugandan counterpart, stressed that Egypt would never accept any reduction in its share of Nile water.
“Anyone who imagines that Egypt will turn a blind eye to an existential threat to its water security is mistaken… We will continue to monitor the situation and take all measures provided under international law to safeguard our people’s existential resources,” El-Sisi warned, in reference to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
During the same week, Foreign Minister Abdelatty and Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam also reiterated that protecting Egypt’s water security remains paramount.
On another note, Abdelatty’s phone calls also stressed the importance of joint efforts to strengthen African mechanisms and reinforce the African Union’s role in addressing priority issues, particularly peace, security, and stability.
The ministers also reviewed developments in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, emphasizing intensified consultation and coordination to preserve stability and advance development across the continent.
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