Sisi says Egypt’s Nile water share will not decrease

CAIRO – 4 August 2021: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reassured citizens on Tuesday that Egypt’s share of River Nile’s water will not decrease, warning against overpopulation’s consequences.

Sisi’s remarks came in a meeting with the editors-in-chief and media personalities while touring the food industry city "Silo Foods" in Menufiya governorate.

The president said the state is working hard to make water available and protect the agricultural lands, affirming that there will be a water problem due to overpopulation.

Sisi affirmed that fighting encroachment on agricultural lands should be considered a top priority issue for the Egyptian countryside.

The president also warned against the serious economic implications of rapid population growth, citing the way it has affected bread subsidy.

Sisi affirmed that it is in the public interest to control this population growth given the need to ensure a decent life for all citizens.

During the inauguration of the industrial complex, Sisi said that the problem of constructions over agricultural land is also due to overpopulation as more people need housing.

Sisi said 20 million people have been added to population since 2010, noting that prices of commodities increase due to increasing demand which is linked to overpopulation.

The president also warned that the huge spread of dwarfism, anemia and obesity among children is due to overpopulation.

GERD crisis, water share

Ethiopia announced the completion of the second phase of filling the GERD reservoir, although Egypt and Sudan have rejected this step unless a binding agreement among the three countries is reached.

Egypt and Sudan argue that a comprehensive, binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam is essential to secure their water interests and people’s rights in the River Nile, which both countries mainly rely on for water.

During his remarks to the press, Abbas said the second phase of filling the dam only added four billion cubic metres of water at most, which is much less than what Ethiopia announced.

Abbas said the GERD would be beneficial to Sudan if information on GERD is exchanged in accordance with a legally-binding agreement.

On July 8, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart, Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi delivered speeches at the United Nations Security Council, explaining the threats the Ethiopian dam poses on their peoples and water rights in case no binding agreement is reached among their three countries.

The UNSC member states’ ambassadors also affirmed the need for the quick resumption of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam talks under the auspices of the African Union and some offered help in the issue.