Addis Ababa, August 28, 2026 (ENA) — Egypt’s accusations against Ethiopia over the Nile River, despite Egypt contributing no water to the river’s flow, are baseless and completely unacceptable, Water Resources researcher Professor Yacob Arsano said.
He stressed that Ethiopia has no allocated share of the Nile waters under the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement, to which Ethiopia was not a party.
“Ethiopia has a legitimate right to utilize its water resources for development while ensuring equitable and reasonable use of the Nile waters,” Professor Yacob underscored.
He said Egypt has historically sought to hinder Ethiopia’s development and progress, including by supporting internal groups, in an effort to prevent the country from utilizing its abundant natural resources.
According to him, Egypt’s claims regarding Ethiopia’s use of the Nile reflect a long-standing position aimed at maintaining exclusive control over the river. He described such claims as outdated and based on a self-serving narrative.
He said Ethiopia’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) demonstrated the country’s determination to develop its natural resources for national development and regional benefit.
The GERD, constructed at the foot of the Guba Mountains, has enabled Ethiopia to generate substantial clean energy while creating opportunities for broader regional economic benefits through electricity exports and power integration.
The professor said the regional power integration associated with the GERD provides a practical example of how shared natural resources can contribute to wider economic integration across Africa.
He further noted that the dam offers benefits to downstream countries by helping reduce siltation, mitigating flood and drought risks, and strengthening domestic and cross border electricity networks.
The researcher said Egyptian political elites remain anchored in colonial era treaties while continuing to advance what he described as distorted claims about the GERD and Ethiopia’s use of the Nile waters.
He stressed that Ethiopia mobilized its citizens to construct the flagship dam in accordance with international legal principles and scientific standards, demonstrating its commitment to equitable and reasonable utilization of transboundary water resources.
The researcher also criticized Cairo’s approach to negotiations, saying Egypt continues to disrupt efforts aimed at reaching cooperative arrangements that could benefit all Nile Basin countries.
He emphasized that Ethiopia should continue developing its water resources responsibly while ensuring that downstream countries experience no significant harm.
The researcher described misinformation surrounding the GERD and the Nile as part of a zero-sum narrative and said Ethiopia’s experience with the dam and other hydropower projects has strengthened its technical expertise, practical experience and capacity in water resource development.
He concluded that Ethiopia should continue pursuing development projects across the Nile and other river basins based on international principles in order to advance comprehensive economic development and national prosperity.
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