Egypt Angry As Ethiopia Fills Nile Dam Reservoir

Egypt is expressing anger after Ethiopia announced it had filled the reservoir at a highly controversial hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile river.

Egypt relies on the Nile for nearly all its water needs and the country’s foreign ministry said Ethiopia was disregarding the interests of the downstream countries.

Ethiopia has been in dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the megaproject since its launch in 2011 but says the $4.2bn dam will not cut their share of Nile water.

Ethiopia believes the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd) will double the country’s electricity output, providing a vital development boost, as currently half the 127-million population lacks electricity.

The plan is to generate more than 6,000 MW at the dam, which is about 30km from Ethiopia’s border with Sudan.

Egypt and Sudan argue that common rules for the operation of Gerd must be agreed, fearing that energy-hungry Ethiopia may exacerbate their existing water shortages.

Negotiations over the project resumed last month, having been suspended in 2021.

Sudan – currently mired in fighting between rival armies – did not immediately react to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s announcement on Sunday.

In a statement on Facebook the Egyptian foreign ministry said Ethiopia’s “unilateral” filling of the reservoir violated a declaration of principles signed by the three countries in 2015, and branded Ethiopia’s action “illegal”.