Why are Egypt and Ethiopia fighting over Nile waters?

Cairo talks rekindle hopes for breaking deadlock in nearly decade-long dispute

For nearly nine years, Egypt and Ethiopia have been locked in a dispute over a contested dam being built by Addis Ababa on the Nile.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has triggered wide fears in Egypt, which relies heavily on the Nile to cover the water needs of its population of nearly 100 million people.

As many as 97 per cent of Egyptians live along the banks of the Nile where the most fertile farmland is.

Fresh talks began in Cairo on Monday to help resolve the long-running dispute.

What are Egypt’s concerns?

Egypt argues that the dam compromises its historical rights over the Nile share.

Under a 1959 treaty, Egypt gets 55.5 billion cubic metres of the Nile waters each year.

According to a 1929 treaty, Egypt has the right to veto any project by the Nile upstream countries that would affect its share of waters.

A drop in the Nile flow to Egypt will take a toll on its access to freshwater, farming output and power generation by the High Aswan Dam.

What is Ethiopia’s position?

Ethiopia has defended its construction of the dam as being vital for its development and lifting its population of around 107 million out of poverty.

Ethiopia and other Nile upstream countries have dismissed both accords as colonial-era legacy and want to amend the 1959 treaty that gives Egypt and Sudan the lion’s share of the Nile waters.

Ties between Egypt and Ethiopia seriously deteriorated in 2013 when Egypt’s then-president Mohammad Mursi threatened to bomb Ethiopia over the dam.

After Mursi’s ouster, Abdul Fattah Al Sissi, who became president in mid-2014, sought to improve ties with Ethiopia and began talks.

Have talks bridged gaps?

No. Over the past four years, officials held a string of talks, which have failed to make a breakthrough.

Egypt has repeatedly accused Ethiopia of playing for time until the dam is operational.

In September, Al Sissi warned that the crisis threatens regional stability and called for international pressure on Ethiopia.

“For Egypt, the Nile water is a matter of life and an issue of existence,” Al Sissi said.

In October, Egypt announced

that talks over the Ethiopian dam had reached a dead end and called for international mediation.

The situation soon worsened after Ethiopian Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmad said his country was ready to go to war if the need arises.

He later said his remarks were taken out of context and agreed to resume negotiations to resolve the deadlock.

Early November, foreign ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed at a UShosted meeting to resolve the dispute by mid-January, a step that Cairo termed as positive.