Ethiopia Says It Has 'Sovereign Right' to Use Nile Water Resources

Ethiopia's minister of water and energy, Habtamu Itefa, said the country possesses a 'sovereign right' to develop and use its water resources on the Nile River, according to a report from Sky News Arabia.

The minister said Ethiopia's position is grounded in the principle of equitable and reasonable use of shared water resources, a standard often invoked in international disputes over transboundary rivers. He rejected calls from downstream countries demanding that Ethiopia obtain prior approval before proceeding with water-related projects on the Nile.

The remarks come amid a long-running dispute between Ethiopia and downstream nations Egypt and Sudan over the use of Nile waters, a disagreement that has intensified since Ethiopia began construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile. Egypt, which depends heavily on the Nile for its freshwater supply, has repeatedly expressed concern that upstream dam projects could reduce water flow reaching its territory, while Ethiopia has maintained that the dam is essential for its economic development and electricity generation.

Previous rounds of negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, at times mediated by international bodies, have failed to produce a comprehensive binding agreement on water-sharing arrangements, leaving the dispute largely unresolved even as the dam has moved toward completion and operation in recent years.

The minister's comments reaffirm Ethiopia's long-standing position that it does not require downstream consent for domestic water infrastructure projects, a stance that has been a persistent point of friction in regional diplomacy.

No immediate response from Egyptian or Sudanese officials was included in the report.