Egypt accuses Ethiopia of being ‘reckless’ with Nile dam

Cairo has linked recent flooding in Sudan to “illegal” GERD operations

Egypt has accused Ethiopia of “reckless management” of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River, alleging that its operations are worsening flooding and endangering lives in Sudan and Egypt.

In a statement on Friday, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said Addis Ababa’s actions violate international law and reflect a “lack of transparency and responsibility.”  

The ministry linked recent flooding in Sudan and potential risks to Egyptian territory to “illegal” dam operations carried out without coordination. It said Ethiopia’s repeated assurances of causing no harm were false and “political exploitation of water at the expense of life.”

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy dismissed the accusations as “malicious and baseless,” saying Cairo’s claims were “riddled with falsehoods and misrepresentations.”  

On Saturday, Ethiopian officials cited decades of data showing that pre-GERD peak flows in August and September often exceeded 800 million cubic meters per day. By comparison, GERD outflows this year averaged 155 million cubic meters in August and 472 million in September – evidence, they said, that the dam had reduced flooding.

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“The numbers speak for themselves,” the ministry said, arguing that the GERD had mitigated flood damage and protected downstream communities. Addis Ababa reaffirmed its intention to cooperate with Sudan on managing the Nile.

“Ethiopia will continue to work closely with the relevant Sudanese authorities and experts to ensure that the GERD will continue to be a blessing to Sudan by mitigating the devastating level of flood that would have been caused in Khartoum had it not been for the GERD,” the ministry added. 

The renewed dispute follows Ethiopia’s recent inauguration of the GERD, now Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, with a capacity of 5.15 gigawatts. Addis Ababa views the dam as vital to expanding electricity access for the second-most populous African nation, where almost half of people remain without reliable power. Egypt and Sudan fear it could disrupt water flows, particularly during droughts.

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Egypt has warned that even a reduction of just 2% in its Nile water supply could lead to the loss of around 200,000 acres of farmland, posing a serious threat to national food security. Sudan has voiced similar fears.