Egypt has formally taken its long-standing battle with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to the United Nations Security Council, accusing Addis Ababa of violating international law by running the dam without a binding deal in place.
In a fiery letter sent on Tuesday, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, said Ethiopia had ignored repeated appeals for an agreement on how the dam should be filled and operated. He warned that Cairo would never allow Addis Ababa to dictate control of the Nile — a river Egypt relies on for nearly all of its water.
Calling the inauguration of the GERD an “unlawful unilateral act,” Abdelatty stressed that any belief that Egypt would look away from its survival needs was nothing but an illusion. For years, Cairo has described any disruption to the Nile’s flow as an existential threat.
The letter also made it clear that Egypt reserves the right to take “all measures permitted under international law and the UN Charter” to defend its interests. Although it stopped short of naming specific actions, the warning signalled that Cairo is prepared to ramp up pressure if its demands are sidelined.
On the other side, Ethiopia was in a celebratory mood as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officially inaugurated the GERD after 14 years of construction. He hailed the massive hydroelectric project as a source of national pride and a key driver for powering Ethiopia’s economic growth through electrification and energy exports.
But both Egypt and Sudan have stood their ground, warning that Ethiopia’s unilateral actions could put downstream water security at risk. Years of negotiations — mediated by the African Union and backed by global players — have repeatedly failed to deliver a legally binding agreement.
By escalating the matter to the Security Council, Cairo has shown that it sees the GERD not only as a regional dispute but also as an issue of international peace and stability. The latest showdown highlights that Africa’s largest hydroelectric project has become one of the continent’s most pressing diplomatic flashpoints.
