Egypt erupts in fury over Ethiopia's plans for three more Nile dams

Egypt is in uproar over Ethiopia's plans to construct three more dams on the Nile, with officials in Cairo warning that military action might be on the table. The Nile provides freshwater for Egypt's 110 million people and is already under strain due to the recent completion of Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd). The reservoir behind the Gerd has not yet significantly impacted Egypt's share of the Nile water, thanks to recent rainfall in Ethiopia.

However, Egypt fears this could change during a drought, as the Gerd and the proposed dams draw water from the Blue Nile, which supplies about 85% of Egypt's river water.

Ethiopia maintains that the Gerd and dams do not threaten Egypt or Sudan and that they are part of the country's development plans. However, Egypt's government, led by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, insists that the dams constitute a national security threat and that military action may be necessary to prevent further construction. Despite ongoing negotiations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia over a legally binding agreement, no deal has been reached, and mediation by the US has also been unsuccessful.

Social media is rife with calls for Egypt to use military force to stop Ethiopia's dam building, with images of armed forces posted. Egypt's top Nile expert warns that Ethiopia will be wrong to believe that Egypt will remain silent on the issue. Egypt has been seeking to pressure Ethiopia into flexibility on the water dispute, strengthening ties with other Horn of Africa nations, and flexing its military muscle in the Red Sea.