Egyptian Communist Party

The stubborn Ethiopian Position in the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations represents an explicit and dangerous existential Aggression on downstream countries: Egypt and Sudan

The Egyptian Communist Party appeals to all political parties, organizations and forces and Arab, African and international popular activities for solidarity with the peoples of Egypt and Sudan at the fair demands to obtain water rights and secure their countries against strategic and existential risks caused by Ethiopia's intransigence and procrastinations for more than ten years, not minding all concluded agreements and International charters. Ethiopia's insistence on the second filling of GERD on the Blue Nile with no binding agreement determining method of completing filling GERD as well as its operation and management, in such a way as to preserve water rights of both Egypt and Sudan as downstream countries of the river, as well as the intransigent and aggressive positions and statements by Ethiopian spokesmen and officials; all these indicate the intent for harming the interests and the rights of these two peoples in a manner that could threaten with persecuting risks thereto.

Egypt, with a population of about 105 million, depends in 95% of its water needs on Nile River water, the largest proportion (80%) of which comes from Ethiopia via the Blue Nile River. This ratio is, per se, along with other water resources, does not guarantee water abundance in Egypt, where per capita share is only about 550m³ cubic per year. It is a rate that puts Egyptians below the water poverty line, so what when this major source of water is threatened? Specialized studies suggest that quick completion of dam filling without taking into account the size of the flood will lead to heath of hundred thousands of acres planted, and loss of more than 15 million jobs. This is in addition to the risks caused by stopping electricity generation from the High Dam, increasing land salinity in the north of the Nile Delta, increasing erosion of Egyptian shores on the Mediterranean as a result of decreased mud precipitation rates, in addition to Sudan dams stopping electricity generation.

Above all, not signing a binding agreement on completing the Dam Lake filling and subsequent participating in management and operation by downstream countries will cause major political problems for Egypt and Sudan, placing them at the mercy of the Ethiopian decision-maker, who can drown the two countries in case of draining water from the dam in a manner not agreed upon, and also it can put them to thirst if water was withheld from them without prior agreements.

Ethiopia is considered one of the water abundance countries where it has available more than 900 billion m³ of water annually, with per capita share not less 8000 m³ per year. The cultivated area is no more than 3.5 million acres. This means that Ethiopia has a huge surplus and is no need to any additional amounts of water. Also, its need to generate electricity does not justify the construction of GERD, because Ethiopia has more than 12 rivers other than the Blue Nile. Egypt offered it to provide it with electricity at preferential rates, and it did not accept. Most important of all that Egypt did not oppose the construction of the dam, nor generating electricity from it and achieve development in Ethiopia or any country in Africa, but it supports all this with all power, with the history and present of Egypt's relations with countries of the continent bears witness to this. Rather, all what it demands is conclusion of binding agreements to ensure the operation and management of the dam in a way not harmful to the water interests and not posing a threat to both Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia's refused to hold these agreements, with all previous data, means that Ethiopia is not seeking development nor electricity generation as it claims. Yet, it wants to achieve a kind of domination and blackmail to both Egypt and Sudan, which is tantamount to an act of explicit aggression threatening stability of their economic status and the independence of their political decision, and even their existence itself.

Evidence suggests that Ethiopia with these major provocative practices serve the interests of the Zionist entity and some regional and international parties, standing behind Ethiopia supporting its aggressive steps, and making its positions so rigid and intransigent, not minding international law and agreements concluded between the two countries: whether that signed in 1902 or that of 1959. These are the two agreements determining the share of both downstream countries. Ethiopia claims that these agreements have been signed in the colonial era, which is belied by the facts of history, as Ethiopia in these two dates was not at all under any kind of colonization, but was an independent state. It also ignores international laws on rivers in riparian states. Therefore it rejects all proposals submitted by Egypt, Sudan and international and regional mediation. It also refuses Egypt seeking to refer the case to Security Council.

The Egyptian Communist Party, as it feels the size of enormous existential risks threatening both Egypt and Sudan, demands Arab States, international and regional community to exert pressure on Ethiopia to comply to international law and reach a binding agreement during this critical period before the second filling of GERD and to assume their responsibilities regarding the dangerous repercussions on the stability of the region. It also calls upon all peace loving, humanistic, progressive, patriotic and democratic forces to support the just positions of both downstream countries.

The party also stresses the need to unite all efforts of national and popular forces in Egypt in support of the right of the Egyptian state to use of all sources of power to prevent this threat in the event of Ethiopia's insistence on its intransigent position, which represents an explicit aggression on the Egyptian national security according to Article 52 of the United Nations Charter.

May 2, 2021                           Egyptian Communist Party Politburo