Egypt’s Sisi Revives Military Options Over Ethiopia Dam

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (R) meets with visiting Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali in Cairo, Egypt, on June 10, 2018

CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday issued his strongest warning yet to Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), declaring that Egypt “will not stand idly by” in the face of Addis Ababa’s “irresponsible approach,” and vowing to take “all necessary measures” to safeguard Egypt’s water security.

The remarks, delivered recently during the Eighth Cairo Water Week under the theme “Innovative Solutions for Resilience Against Climate Change,” mark a renewed escalation in a decade-long standoff over the Nile’s waters.

Sisi accused Ethiopia of triggering an “artificially induced industrial flood” that recently caused damage in Egypt and Sudan, blaming what he described as “undisciplined management” of the dam’s water releases. 

He warned that the situation had reached “a dangerous stage,” describing water security as an “existential issue for more than 100 million Egyptians.”

The Egyptian leader’s statement represents a turning point in Cairo’s tone after what he called “14 years of wisdom and prudence” in negotiations that have failed to produce a binding legal framework.

While Sisi reiterated that “dialogue remains the optimal path,” his language — pledging “all measures” and warning that Egypt would not remain passive — has revived speculation that Cairo is once again considering military options should diplomacy fail.

Echoes of 2020

The phrases “will not stand idly by” and “all measures” are familiar from earlier Nile tensions in 2020 and 2021, but analysts say the current context is different