File Photo: A general view of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in Guba, Ethiopia. AFP
The ministry explained that on 10 September 2025, Ethiopia began releasing water from the GERD reservoir after it reached full capacity.
The discharge, which peaked at around 750 million cubic metres per day, coincided with seasonal floods, creating what officials described as significant pressure along the Nile and its tributaries.
Emergency units have been deployed to regulate water flows and reduce flood damage.
Sudanese officials clarified that reaching “flood level” at monitoring stations does not necessarily mean widespread flooding but indicates that the river has reached its banks.
They urged citizens to remain alert while confirming that water levels have started to gradually decline.
GERD
The GERD, Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, has been at the centre of a decade-long dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt.
Addis Ababa considers the dam vital for development and power generation, while downstream neighbours worry about reduced water flows.
Egypt, which relies on the Nile for over 90 percent of its freshwater, has warned that unilateral filling and operation of the dam threaten its water security.
Sudan has echoed these concerns, saying that uncoordinated water releases could endanger its dams, agricultural planning, and flood management.
On Monday, Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam said that the water Ethiopia stored during successive filling stages was taken from the legal shares of both Egypt and Sudan.
He told Al-Nahar TV that international law gives Egypt the right to take measures at certain times to protect its interests, stressing that Ethiopia withheld large volumes of water without agreement, which negatively affected downstream flows.
Sewilam said Egypt has implemented measures to strengthen its resilience against water shocks and intervened to prevent harm to citizens.
He praised irrigation engineers, saying, “History will record the efforts of Egypt’s irrigation engineers in managing the High Dam and protecting Egyptians from the repercussions of the GERD.”
“This dam is illegitimate and will remain so. Present and future generations must not take it as normal or accept it as a fact of life, except within the framework of a binding legal agreement for all parties,” he said, addressing Egyptians.
He also commented on Ethiopia’s reported plans to build two additional dams, affirming that Egypt has contingency measures ready for all possible scenarios.
Ethiopia has proceeded with filling and operating the GERD on the Blue Nile despite not reaching an agreement with downstream states.
Egypt and Sudan warned that this violates international law and poses a threat to their water security.
Cairo has spent more than a decade in unsuccessful negotiations to secure a binding deal on the dam’s filling and operation.
The Blue Nile provides about 85 percent of the 55 billion cubic metres of water Egypt receives annually.
Earlier in September, Ethiopia formally inaugurated the GERD despite continued opposition from Cairo and Khartoum.
The same month, Egypt responded with a letter to the UN Security Council, calling the dam a “unilateral venture” that threatens regional stability.
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