Abbas Sharaqi, Professor of Water Resources and Geology at Cairo University, stated that the Egyptian position regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue has seen no change. He stressed that the recent Ethiopian statements were “violent and undiplomatic,” especially coming from a Ministry whose positions are supposed to be characterized by accuracy, calmness, and reliance on facts.
Speaking during a phone interview on the program Yahdoth fi Masr (Happening in Egypt) with Sherif Amer on MBC Masr channel, Sharaqi added that the recent Ethiopian statement contained “many fallacies and false claims.” He emphasized that Egypt has never rejected dialogue at any stage, and that negotiations concerning the dam were always based on the desire to reach a fair and balanced agreement.
Sharaqi clarified that the Blue Nile is not the private property of a single state; rather, it is a shared river governed by clear international agreements. Chief among these is the rule of prior notification and the principle of not causing significant harm to downstream nations. He asserted that the historical agreements regulating the Nile waters cannot be unilaterally cancelled, and that there are international traditions and norms governing the use of shared rivers—matters that Ethiopia is failing to adhere to in its current stance.
Sharaqi concluded by noting that respecting international agreements is the foundation for stability among riparian states. He affirmed that Egypt continues to adhere to diplomatic and legal solutions to ensure its water rights without harming the interests of other peoples.
