Egypt has several options to deter Ethiopia’s actions over Nile waters: Experts

Several experts in African affairs have confirmed that Egypt has several political, diplomatic, legal, and regional tools at its disposal to prevent Ethiopia from taking unilateral actions concerning the Nile waters and its dams. When discussing Ethiopia's intentions to build more dams on the Blue Nile, they pointed out that Cairo's approach involves multiple strategies, such as applying pressure and taking action at both regional and international levels, forming strong alliances against Ethiopian interests, and fortifying the domestic front against potential water scarcity.

Ambassador Salah Halema, Vice President of the Egyptian Council for African Affairs, stated that Ethiopia's actions concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the Entebbe Agreement violate international laws and conventions. He stressed that handling a transboundary international river should not be based on unilateral sovereignty or actions that harm downstream nations, namely Egypt and Sudan.

Halema also highlighted the necessity of reaching a legally binding, fair, and equitable agreement regarding GERD's filling and operation, describing Ethiopia's approach as an attempt to "localize the rivers." Halema outlined three paths for Egypt to deter Ethiopian actions: returning to negotiations in good faith, seeking international mediation to advance negotiations (potentially involving the US president), and resorting to the United Nations, specifically its mechanisms for peaceful dispute resolution, with the right of legitimate self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter remaining as a last resort if Egypt's fundamental interests are threatened.