The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was completed in September 2025 and is currently operational, according to Bashir Abdel Fattah, a researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. Speaking during a broadcast on Sky News Arabia’s “Newsroom,” Abdel Fattah and political researcher Abdel Shakour Abdel Samad presented opposing views regarding the roots of the crisis and who bears responsibility for stalled negotiations over the shared waterway.
Disputes Over Unilateral Management and Egyptian Water Security
The core of the current disagreement centers on Ethiopia’s insistence on managing the dam unilaterally, without binding coordination with Egypt and Sudan, according to Abdel Fattah. International rivers are subject to laws and regulations that govern their use, and state sovereignty over shared resources is not absolute, he explained. Abdel Fattah criticized Ethiopian statements regarding plans to build three new dams, potential pricing of Nile water, and demands for compensation for water reaching Egypt from the Ethiopian plateau, describing these proposals as a provocation and a threat to Egyptian water security.
Egypt receives 55 billion cubic meters of water annually, while its needs reach much higher levels, Abdel Fattah stated. Per capita water share stands at 472 cubic meters annually, falling below the water poverty line of 500 cubic meters. He accused Addis Ababa of attempting to politicize water and exert pressure on Cairo through what he termed “water blackmail” or by linking the Nile file to efforts to secure a Red Sea port. While Egypt does not oppose Ethiopia’s right to development and has supported projects and dams in other African nations, Cairo maintains that its water security must not be compromised. Abdel Fattah noted that Cairo froze negotiations in December 2023 after ten years of talks that he characterized as futile, accusing Ethiopia of using negotiations to gain time until the project was completed.
Did You Know? The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam reached completion in September 2025 and is fully operational, according to assessments presented by researchers analyzing the ongoing Nile dispute.
Calls for Shared Governance and Alternative Perspectives on Negotiations
Rejecting the attribution of the crisis solely to Ethiopia, Abdel Samad called for a shift in Egyptian political language toward Addis Ababa. He advocated for building relationships rooted in mutual respect and cooperation among Nile basin countries. Geography dictates that Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan will remain permanent neighbors sharing the Nile as a common resource, making understanding and partnership the only viable path forward, according to Abdel Samad. He denied that Ethiopia seeks to monopolize the Nile or impose unilateral decisions on downstream nations, arguing that an overly security-focused perspective on water obstructs potential agreements.
Abdel Samad pointed out that Ethiopia continues to invite Egypt back to the negotiating table, noting that it was Cairo which initially announced the freeze on talks. Experts across Nile basin countries have previously agreed on approximately 36 projects, and the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam alongside three additional dams could serve as a safety valve for the entire basin, he added. Furthermore, Abdel Samad stated that Ethiopia previously offered to share the funding, operation, and administration of the dam—allocating 50 percent to Ethiopia, 30 percent to Sudan, and 20 percent to Egypt—an offer that Cairo declined. The Ethiopian Prime Minister also extended invitations for Egypt to participate in building the three new proposed dams.
Expert Insight: Resolving the deadlock over the Nile requires bridging fundamentally different frameworks: Cairo’s insistence on legally binding rules to protect established quotas against unilateral threats, and Addis Ababa’s emphasis on cooperative regional development through shared basin infrastructure. Until trust is rebuilt around these competing paradigms, the diplomatic process remains stalled.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam completed? According to Bashir Abdel Fattah, the dam was completed in September 2025 and is currently operational.
Why did Egypt freeze negotiations regarding the dam? Cairo froze the talks in December 2023 after ten years of negotiations that Abdel Fattah described as non-viable, citing a lack of binding agreements and unilateral management by Ethiopia.
What were the proposed management shares for the dam mentioned in the discussions? Abdel Samad stated that Ethiopia previously offered a management and operational breakdown of 50 percent for Ethiopia, 30 percent for Sudan, and 20 percent for Egypt, which Cairo rejected.
How do differing diplomatic strategies and infrastructure plans influence the future stability of the Nile basin region?