Sisi describes Nile waters as Egypt's 'very life', calls for consultations on river's use

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi rejected any unilateral actions on the Nile River, warning that anyone who believes Egypt will overlook its water rights “is mistaken.”

Addressing a joint press conference in Cairo with his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, Sisi said the combined annual water flow from the White and Blue Nile, tributaries of the Nile River, is approximately 1,600 billion cubic metres, much of which is lost through forests, swamps, evaporation, and groundwater.

“Only a minor portion of water reaches the Nile, and that Egypt and Sudan together receive about 85 billion cubic metres – only around 4% of the total,” he added.

The Egyptian leader stressed that abandoning this share of water “would effectively mean relinquishing Egypt’s very life,” as the country lacks alternative water resources and receives minimal rainfall.

Giant dam

Sisi said while Egypt welcomes the development benefits of Nile waters for sister countries – whether in agriculture, electricity production, or general development, “such growth must not diminish the amount of water reaching Egypt.”