Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi issued a firm warning on Sunday, 25 October 2026, that Egypt's water security cannot be compromised, speaking at the opening of the Ninth Cairo Water Week in Cairo. Addressing the forum through a recorded message, Sisi underscored that the Nile River supplies more than 98 per cent of Egypt's renewable water resources — a dependency that makes any threat to the river's flow an existential concern.

Sisi's Core Warning

The president drew a clear red line, stating: 'Any wager that Egypt will accept a fait accompli or compromise its water security is a losing wager.' He stressed that the Egyptian state would not neglect its responsibility to protect the interests of its people. The remarks carried particular weight given the unresolved dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Ethiopia officially inaugurated in September 2025.

Cooperation and Dialogue — Egypt's Stated Path

Despite the firm rhetoric, Sisi framed Egypt's posture as one of engagement rather than confrontation. He stated that 'Egypt respects and supports the right of all Nile Basin states to development,' and reaffirmed Cairo's willingness to cooperate with other basin nations based on international law, consultation, coordination, good neighbourliness, and the principle of causing no harm. He also highlighted ongoing cooperation with southern Nile Basin countries on proposed projects spanning energy, agriculture, and irrigation.

Sisi expressed a forward-looking ambition: 'Egypt looks forward to reinforcing cooperation in the Eastern Nile Basin in a manner that serves the interests of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia.' He called for converting the Nile Basin's potential into partnerships that maximise shared benefits and ensure the river remains 'a source of development, prosperity, and stability for all peoples of the Basin.'

The GERD Dispute: Years of Failed Talks

The backdrop to Sisi's remarks is a protracted and unresolved diplomatic dispute. Both Egypt and Sudan — downstream nations — have repeatedly raised concerns about their water shares following Ethiopia's construction of the GERD on the Blue Nile. Years of trilateral negotiations among the three countries have failed to produce a binding legal agreement governing the rules for the dam's filling and operation.

Ethiopia, for its part, inaugurated the dam in September 2025, asserting that the hydropower project would boost electricity generation and economic development without harming downstream nations. Cairo and Khartoum have contested that assurance, demanding legally enforceable guarantees that have yet to materialise.

Cairo Water Week: The Broader Platform

The Ninth Cairo Water Week is being held under the theme 'Water as a Catalyst for Peace, Shared Prosperity and a Sustainable Planet.' The five-day event runs until Thursday and features more than 130 sessions covering water security, capacity building, and preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, which is scheduled to be convened in the UAE in December. The forum provides Cairo a high-profile platform to internationalise its concerns ahead of that global gathering.

As the GERD dispute enters a new phase following the dam's inauguration, the trajectory of water diplomacy across the Nile Basin — and whether a legally binding framework can be negotiated before the next filling cycle — will be closely watched by all parties.