On Sept. 1, Egypt announced that they had addressed a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the construction of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). In its letter to the UNSC, Cairo states that the dam poses a threat to the water security downstream.

The GERD has been planned for construction on the Blue Nile since 2011, with Ethiopian authorities defending its importance for the economy, water, and electricity supply in the country. While Egypt is not fully against the project, the government warns about changes to the flow of the river which may have terrible consequences. For this reason Cairo has tried to negotiate a legally binding deal with Addis Ababa about the management of the dam’s operations, but the latter has refused signing it. The tensions led Egypt to seek more support from other sub-Saharan countries, including Somalia, which only raised the concerns of Ethiopia about Egypt’s intentions regarding the development of the region.

As of September, the GERD is nearing its completion and the reservoir has been filling up since 2020. It is projected that this will be the largest hydroelectric plant and dam in Africa. Egypt’s statement to the UNSC says that Ethiopia has violated international law by “[creating] a de facto situation on the ground” as Addis Ababa tries to continue the negotiations indefinitely.

Ethiopia responded with its own letter to the UNSC, in which they refute Egypt’s claims on the basis that Cairo’s aim is “only interested in perpetuating its self-claimed monopoly” over the Nile river. Over the past month, tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia have been rising also because of Cairo’s new bonds with the Somali military and Addis Ababa’s deal with the territory of Somaliland. In the wake of these, the dispute over the GERD stands out as an issue that directly impacts both sides and can lead to escalated aggression.