CAIRO, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said Monday that Egypt will defend its Nile water rights by all means sanctioned under international law.
In a speech marking the 53rd anniversary of Egypt’s October 1973 war against Israel, Sisi described the Nile as “the very lifeline of Egypt and the cornerstone of its existence across millennia,” saying that Egypt’s water share is “an established historical and non-negotiable legal right that admits of no compromise or infringement.”
He said Egypt will tolerate no action that compromises its water security.
The remarks have renewed focus on the dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which was officially inaugurated in September 2025.
Ethiopia says the dam is intended to generate electricity and support development. Egypt and Sudan have raised concerns over its impact on downstream water flows and called for a binding agreement on its filling and operation.
On the Palestinian issue, Sisi reaffirmed that the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy, remains the sole viable path to delivering a just and lasting peace, as well as enduring stability across the Middle East. ■