Addis Ababa: Ethiopia’s recently inaugurated Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has reignited tensions with downstream neighbor Egypt after unusually high Nile waters flooded homes and fields in northern Egypt over the past weekend. In the Nile Delta village of Dalhamo, approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Cairo, residents navigated submerged streets in wooden boats as water levels reached the walls of their houses.
Seasonal flooding along the Nile is historically expected due to monsoon rains in Ethiopia’s highlands. However, this year’s late surge, exacerbated by dam operations, pushed floodwaters through Sudan and into Egypt later than usual. Sudan, already grappling with an 18-month conflict, saw about 1,200 families displaced in Bahri, Khartoum state, with homes destroyed and relief efforts severely hampered, according to the U.N. migration agency.
Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation accused Ethiopia of “reckless unilateral” dam operations following GERD’s inauguration on September 9, describing sharp and unannounced water releases as a trigger for a “man-made, late flood.” Addis Ababa, on the other hand, defends the dam’s operation as regulated, emphasizing its critical role in meeting Ethiopia’s electricity needs and its potential to foster regional development.
The GERD, one of Africa’s largest hydroelectric projects, has long been a source of contention between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan. Previous negotiations over water-sharing protocols have repeatedly stalled, and the latest flooding has escalated diplomatic tensions. International observers are now closely monitoring the situation, urging renewed dialogue to prevent further environmental and humanitarian consequences in the Nile Basin.