Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty with several members of the Egyptian delegation to the UN during their meeting with with Cho Hyun-hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea and current President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York, US. Photo courtesy of Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
Speaking on Saturday with Cho Hyun-hyun, South Korea’s foreign minister and current president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Abdelatty said Egypt would take “all necessary measures consistent with international law” to safeguard its water security, calling the Nile “an existential issue” for the country.
GERD dispute
Ethiopia has proceeded with filling and operating the GERD on the Blue Nile despite not having an agreement with downstream states.
Egypt and Sudan say the move violates international law and threatens their water security.
Cairo, which relies on the Nile for nearly 98 percent of its needs, has spent more than a decade in fruitless negotiations to secure a binding deal on the dam’s filling and operation.
The Blue Nile contributes about 85 percent of the 55 billion cubic metres of water Egypt receives annually.
Earlier this month, Ethiopia marked the formal inauguration of the GERD despite continued opposition from Cairo and Khartoum.
In a letter to the Security Council in early September, Egypt described the dam as a “unilateral venture” that undermines regional stability.
Gaza war and regional crises
Abdelatty also addressed regional crises during his meeting with Cho, praising South Korea’s recent positions on Israel’s wars on Gaza and Lebanon.
He condemned Israel’s military assault in Gaza, stressing Egypt’s “complete rejection of any state acting above the law,” and reaffirmed Cairo’s opposition to the displacement of Palestinians and support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with international frameworks.
He urged the Security Council to enforce an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Since the outbreak of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the Israeli army has killed at least 65,900 Palestinians and injured over167,518 others.
Egypt-Korea ties
The talks also marked 30 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and South Korea.
Abdelatty highlighted progress in bilateral projects and rising Korean investments in infrastructure and renewable energy. H
e pointed to opportunities in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), and emerging sectors including hydrogen production, electric vehicles, and energy storage.
Abdelatty expressed Cairo’s interest in establishing a dedicated Korean industrial zone in the SCZone, citing the legislative and financial incentives available for foreign investors.
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