Nile Dam Talks Restart in Cairo With High Stakes for Regional Stability

Talks between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan over the contentious $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam resumed on Sunday in Cairo, according to officials. Last month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed intentions to reach an agreement within four months on operating the dam, situated on the Blue Nile. The river merges with the White Nile in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum before flowing into Egypt and eventually the Mediterranean Sea.

Egypt has called the dam an “existential threat,” fearing significant impact if its operational requirements are not considered. The country relies almost exclusively on the Nile for its agriculture and for its population of over 100 million. Ethiopian officials say the dam is crucial, as a large portion of its population lacks electricity.

Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam stated that Egypt seeks a legally binding agreement on the dam’s operation. Tensions escalated after Ethiopia began filling the dam’s reservoir without a mutual agreement. Key concerns remain, including Ethiopia’s water release plans in case of multiyear droughts and dispute resolution mechanisms.