Addis Ababa, November 4, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy Advisor Kebede Gerba has challenged Egypt’s approach to the Nile, arguing that the development and use of the shared river must be guided by technical expertise and practical solutions rather than political pressure and military threats.
In an exclusive interview with Fana Media Corporation during the Third Ethiopian Water and Energy Week in Addis Ababa, Kebede said disputes over the Nile should be addressed by specialists in hydrology, geology and environmental sciences, not turned into political or military confrontations.
He rejected the politicization of shared water resources, stressing that no country has exclusive rights over the Nile and that all riparian nations are entitled to use their fair share of its waters.
“Water resources development is not a political issue or a military issue; it is a technical issue,” he said, calling for countries to address concerns arising from water infrastructure through expert consultations and practical measures to mitigate potential impacts.
Kebede’s remarks directly challenge Egypt’s continued politicization of Nile development, which he said undermines efforts to manage the shared resource through equitable and reasonable utilization.
The advisor maintained that upstream countries have the right to develop their water resources, while also bearing responsibility for assessing the effects of their projects and avoiding significant harm to downstream nations.
He said this principle should guide the development of dams throughout the Nile Basin, replacing confrontation with technical engagement and mutually beneficial arrangements.
Kebede also emphasized the importance of benefit-sharing over disputes about allocating fixed quantities of water to individual countries.
He argued that nations can pursue different forms of development according to their geographical and economic advantages while benefiting from the river’s shared resources.
Under this approach, Ethiopia can expand hydropower generation, while downstream countries can pursue other water-dependent activities, including irrigation.
He said such complementary development would create benefits across the basin rather than intensify competition over water allocation.
“Instead of water sharing, benefit-sharing could be an area where the countries could also work together,” he said, identifying it as an important basis for cooperation among riparian nations.
Kebede further emphasized that the experience of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) carries a wider message for upstream countries seeking to develop their water resources. He said the project demonstrates the importance of strengthening national capacity to utilize a fair share of shared waters while taking downstream impacts into account.
He maintained that the Nile cannot be treated as the exclusive resource of any single country and that its development should not be weaponized or used as an instrument of political pressure.
“The Nile is a shared water resource. No country has an exclusive right over it and countries have to utilize their fair share,” he said.
He called for disputes to be resolved peacefully through dialogue among experts, arguing that this is how shared water resources should be managed.
Kebede’s position places the responsibility for addressing Nile Basin tensions on technical assessment, equitable utilization and the sharing of development benefits. He said the river’s future should be shaped by evidence-based decisions and peaceful engagement, rather than political and military pressure.