Ethiopia launched a fiery attack on Egypt in a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday evening, describing officials in Cairo as being “influenced by a colonial-era mentality” and “believing in their monopoly over Nile waters.”
The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry’s statement rejected Egypt’s repeated pronouncements regarding its rights to the Nile water. The statement alleged that “the recurring statements by Egyptian officials, which unequivocally reject dialogue and contain thinly veiled threats at times and explicit threats at others, are manifestations of the Egyptian government’s failure to comprehend the realities of the 21st century.”
The statement used strongly worded phrases and leveled accusations against Egypt, claiming that Cairo is clinging to rights rooted in the colonial era. It further alleged that Egypt seeks to destabilize the Horn of Africa region to influence Ethiopia through “subservient and fragmented” states (specifically mentioning Somalia), as described in the statement.
In its attack on Egypt’s stance, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry added that “some Egyptian officials, influenced by a colonial-era mentality, believe they monopolize the Nile water and cite colonial-era treaties while insisting on their alleged historical rights,” according to the statement.
The statement continued: “The time has come to abandon this outdated strategy that has never intimidated Ethiopia. Ethiopia has a long and honorable history of embracing African unity and supporting anti-colonial struggles across the continent.”
In an Ethiopian insistence on upholding what it deems its rights to the Nile waters, the statement stressed that Addis Ababa is not prepared to “accommodate the effects of colonialism that Cairo finds difficult to discard,” referring to the historical agreements between Egypt and Ethiopia concerning the parties’ shares of the Nile water.
The statement proceeded: “The Blue Nile, which originates in the Ethiopian highlands, contributes approximately of the Nile basin’s water. The Blue Nile basin (or Abay River) represents of Ethiopia’s surface water. Ethiopia, like all other riparian states, has the right to utilize this natural resource. The principle of equitable and reasonable utilization is a fundamental tenet of applicable international law in this context. Ethiopia is not concerned with seeking permissionfrom any party to use the natural resources within its borders.”
The statement concluded by claiming that “Egypt has rejected dialogue and escalated its hostile rhetoric with a clear intention to escalate,” viewing Ethiopia’s developmental aspirations and projects, such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), as embodying African self-reliance.
