Denying Egypt “one drop of water” will lead to “unimaginable instability in the region,” Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi threatened on Tuesday. Sisi was responding to a question about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, or GERD, which is built on the Blue Nile some 20 km from the Sudanese border and which accounts for more than 80 per cent of the Nile River’s water. Egypt believes the dam, which is not yet complete, will cut into its share of water from the Nile, which it uses for some 90 % of its water needs.
“We are not threatening anyone and our discourse remains very patient and very wise, but no one can take a drop of water from Egypt water. Doing so will create unimaginable instability in the region and no one should assume that he is beyond the reach of our capabilities,” Sisi told reporters. “I say it again, Egypt’s water cannot be touched. Touching it is a red line and our reaction if it’s touched will impact on the entire region.”