Sisi rejects 'unilateral control' over Nile waters
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Egypt will not accept a fait accompli or a compromise of its water security, and that the presence of the Nile's sources within a state's territory does not give that state the right to unilateral control over a resource shared by several peoples. Speaking at the opening of the ninth Cairo Water Week, he said any bet on Egypt accepting a fait accompli or giving up its water security is a losing bet, and stressed respect for all Nile Basin states' right to development exercised responsibly without harming others. He said Egypt has pursued cooperation in energy, agriculture and irrigation projects in southern Nile Basin states, and that prior notification, exchange of studies and consultation are tools to support financing and confidence rather than to obstruct development.
Why it matters: The statement places water security at the centre of Egypt's foreign policy and ties Nile Basin development rights to cooperation, financing and confidence-building.