Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Hani Sewilam, said on Monday that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is putting pressure on Egyptian water resources.
“We are continuing negotiations and discussions with Ethiopia and presenting many proposals to it and solutions to save energy, and there are attempts to find ways of cooperation,” he added.
“The size of the floods directly affects the quantities of incoming water, whether high or low,” Sewilam added.
This came during a meeting for the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo, on Monday, which witnessed a discussion session entitled “Water Management Strategy in Egypt”.
“We are seeking to expand crops that use less water and choose certain types of tomatoes, for example, with the aim of providing food in light of the current global challenges,” the minister said.
The Ethiopian government announced on August 11, 2022, that it has completed the third GERD filling unilaterally.
It announced the operation of the second turbine in GERD to generate electric power, which comes in light of the tension between Addis Ababa and Egypt, Sudan due to what the two countries consider a negative impact of the dam on their water shares of the Nile River.
Egypt and Sudan say they want a legally binding agreement on operating the dam, while Ethiopia says any pact should be advisory.
Both countries consider the dam a threat to their vital water supplies, while Ethiopia considers it essential for development and doubling its electricity production.
The downstream nations fear possible blows to water facilities, agricultural land, and overall availability of Nile water.
Negotiations over the dam between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan have stalled for years, with the three parties ultimately failing to reach any agreements.
The disputed dam is the largest hydroelectric project in Africa, with a cost of more than four billion dollars.
