Egypt reveals what happened behind closed doors with GERD negotiations

Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam revealed that Cairo has run out of negotiation options in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute. He highlighted that despite Egypt's patience and perseverance, Ethiopia's lack of agreement led to the termination of negotiations. Sewilam emphasized that Egypt exerted all efforts to resolve the crisis, including participating in negotiations and signing the 2015 Declaration of Principles, which aimed to demonstrate goodwill towards Ethiopia and find a peaceful solution.

However, Egypt alleged that Addis Ababa failed to follow through on the declaration, leading to ongoing disputes over dam operation rules, drought management, and data sharing. The minister pointed out that the US-sponsored talks, held alongside World Bank involvement, made progress in drafting operational and filling rules but still did not yield a final, signed agreement among the three nations.

The main dispute revolves around Egypt's water security during drought periods and mechanisms for data sharing and operational coordination. Egypt's water scarcity is exacerbated by its limited resources relative to population growth, agricultural expansion, and climate change impacts.