Egypt Rules Out Further Talks with Ethiopia Over Renaissance Dam.

— Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has told the BBC that there will be “no further talks” with Ethiopia regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Speaking to BBC Focus on Africa, Abdelatty said that 13 years of negotiations have failed to produce “any solution.”

He noted that relations between Egypt and Ethiopia have “further deteriorated” since the dam’s inauguration, warning that the international community should be “concerned” about the worsening situation. Despite the breakdown in talks, Abdelatty stressed that Egypt “will uphold its water security” in line with international law.

The minister argued that since previous negotiations had yielded no results, “there is no need to hold further talks.” He described the dam as a “unilateral move” and adding that it’s “illegal,” reflecting Cairo’s official position.

Abdelatty further stated that the project is “not in line with international law,” explaining that “any transboundary river must be governed by international principles. This means it must be properly notified and must not cause harm.”

A month earlier, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared that Egypt would “take all necessary measures” to safeguard its national interests and water security. He had previously warned that Egypt would “not turn a blind eye” to what he called Ethiopia’s “irresponsible” management of the dam.

In response, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy issued a statement asserting that “Ethiopia will not give up its right to use the Nile.” The ministry added that “despite increasing pressure from Ethiopia’s enemies, the country’s progress will not be reversed.”

Speaking to BBC Focus on Africa, Abdelatty described the GERD as “a unilateral move taken outside international law. This is regrettable. We do not recognize what they did without consulting us.”

At the United Nations General Assembly in late September, the foreign minister accused Ethiopia of “endangering the lives of millions of people downstream” and announced that Egypt would take the matter to the International Court of Justice.

“We have been negotiating for more than 13 years without reaching any agreement. It is regrettable because we were negotiating in good faith,” Abdelatty said. “But the other side, unfortunately, used this negotiation period to change the situation on the ground.”

He added: “We made it clear a year ago that the negotiation process had reached a point where it could not continue. There will be no further talks.”

Abdelatty concluded that relations between Egypt and Ethiopia are currently “at a standstill,” warning that “if the dam causes us harm, we will exercise our full right to protect our national interests and water security in accordance with international law.”