In a new escalation, Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Etefa announced that the "Cooperative Framework Agreement for the Nile Basin" had entered into force, accusing Egypt and Sudan of obstructing the activation of the permanent basin commission.
In response, Cairo strongly rejected these statements and Ethiopian claims of control over the Nile's resources, warning against "delusions of hegemony" and the imposition of a fait accompli in flagrant violation of international law.
Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu Etefa, spoke of what he described as "Egypt and Sudan's opposition" to joining the "Permanent Nile Basin Commission" agreement, explaining that the agreement had entered into force, according to the official Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).
According to ENA, "six Nile Basin countries have ratified the establishment of the Commission," which Addis Ababa considers "the permanent legal and institutional mechanism for managing and developing shared water resources in the Nile Basin," replacing the Nile Basin Initiative Transitional Periodic Review.
Habtamu stated that "the resistance of Egypt and Sudan has prolonged the activation of the Nile Basin Commission agreement," according to ENA.
The Ethiopian minister added that "the Cooperative Framework Agreement represents a significant shift from previous arrangements which, from the Ethiopian perspective, excluded upstream countries from effective participation in managing the Nile's waters."
The minister explained that "the agreement establishes a shared principle that the Nile belongs to all the countries in its basin, and calls for joint management, development, and protection of the river, along with mutual respect among the riparian states." He claimed that "Egypt and Sudan oppose this approach, which puts them at odds with the position of the majority of the Nile Basin countries."
He stated that "the Cooperative Framework Agreement tells the world and the beneficiary member states: the Nile belongs to all of us. We must preserve it, manage the river, develop it, not pollute it, and respect one another. These are the essence of the agreement. Our brothers from the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, oppose this idea and are going against the voice of the majority," according to the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).
The Ethiopian Minister of Water asserted that "the agreement is based on the principles of equitable and reasonable use of water, sustainable management, and information exchange, not on depriving downstream countries of their interests." He called on Egypt and Sudan to engage within the framework of the agreement instead of opposing it.
He said that "the continued opposition to activating the commission has become an obstacle to advancing cooperation across the entire Nile Basin."
He also claimed that "Egypt's resistance is also part of a longer pattern of opposition to Ethiopia's development of the Nile's water resources, including projects that predate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam."
The Ethiopian minister rejected the notion that "Ethiopia's development of the Nile's tributaries should be contingent on the approval of downstream countries," asserting that Ethiopia has "the right to pursue development, while ensuring that its projects do not cause significant harm to other riparian states."
Habtamu emphasized that "Ethiopia prefers cooperation to confrontation," affirming that "the delay in establishing the commission will not prevent the country from continuing to develop its water resources."
No official statements or positions have yet been issued by the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, regarding the commission's entry into force.
Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Etefa said that the "Cooperative Framework Agreement for the Nile River" had entered into force a few days ago, explaining that it "will recognize the legal rights of all Nile Basin countries and subject them to the fair distribution and sustainable use of water."
An Egyptian official responded last Sunday to recent statements attributed to the Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy, in which he spoke of building additional dams on the Nile River and "controlling" water flows to the downstream countries of Egypt and Sudan.
The official stated that these remarks "represent a continuation of Ethiopia's unilateral approach in flagrant violation of international law, and reflect Addis Ababa's persistent delusions of being able to impose hegemony over a shared international river and subject it to the will of a single state," according to the Egyptian state-run Al-Ahram Gate website.
The official source emphasized that "these statements once again refute Ethiopia's repeated claims that its actions are aimed at development without harming others. The explicit declaration of seeking to control the flow of an international river to the downstream countries reveals an extremely dangerous trend that is not aimed at achieving legitimate development, but rather reflects an attempt to impose a fait accompli, monopolize a shared international water resource, and exploit its geographical location to threaten the water rights and interests of the downstream countries. This is not sanctioned by international law, and Egypt will not allow it to be imposed as a fait accompli," according to Al-Ahram Gate.
Egypt fears that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will reduce its water supply during periods of drought and lead to the construction of other dams upstream.
Egypt has strongly opposed the dam's construction from the outset, arguing that it violates water treaties dating back to the British colonial era and poses an existential threat, as Egypt, with a population of approximately 108 million, relies on the Nile River for about 90% of its fresh water.
Sudan joined Egypt's calls for legally binding agreements on the filling and operation of the dam, but it also stands to benefit from improved flood management and access to cheap energy.
Cairo's position was supported by US President Donald Trump during both his first and second terms. Trump had said the situation was "dangerous" and that "Cairo might end up blowing up that dam," but his administration failed to reach an agreement on the project, despite years of negotiations.
Netanyahu warns against the Muslim Brotherhood coming to power in Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Saturday evening of the consequences of what he called a left-wing alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood, in a clear reference to the Arab parties.
Netanyahu stressed that he would not allow the establishment of an Iranian-controlled Palestinian state in Gaza or the West Bank as long as he was in power.
These statements come after calls by Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra'am party, for recognition of a Palestinian state and a new chapter in Arab political alliances ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Israeli channel i24NEWS reported that Netanyahu issued a statement Saturday evening, asserting: "As long as I am prime minister, there will be no Palestinian state controlled by Iran, neither in Gaza nor in the West Bank. Period."
The Hebrew channel added that Netanyahu continued, saying: "The consequences of the left-wing alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood have been revealed once again," adding: "These are the partners of Eisenkot, Lieberman, and Tropper, who boycott Likud voters but welcome supporters of Tibi and the National Democratic Assembly."
The report noted that Gadi Eisenkot responded to Mansour Abbas's statements, saying: "A Palestinian state will not be established in the government you will form."
For his part, Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra'am party, held his party's general conference earlier on Saturday, which was dedicated to presenting candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections. In his speech, he addressed the Palestinian issue, calling for renewed cooperation between Arab parties in Israel.
He said, "The State of Palestine exists and is recognized by the majority of the world's nations, and we are working to ensure that Israel and the United States also recognize it."
Abbas described Arab citizens of Israel as "a bridge to peace," emphasizing that "Ra'am's party seeks to achieve peace, reconciliation, and an end to the conflict."
He also commented on the announced alliance between the three other Arab parties to which his party does not belong, calling for a "new chapter" in their relations and proposing an agreement to share votes among their lists.
According to Abbas, "the potential participation of an Arab party in a future government coalition has become a fully integrated political issue in the Israeli debate," believing that Ra'am's party is thus putting "Israeli democracy to a real test."
