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Egypt's Sisi Hopes for Successful Negotiations over Nile Dam

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. (AP)
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. (AP)
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Egypt's Sisi Hopes for Successful Negotiations over Nile Dam

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. (AP)
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. (AP)

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said Tuesday that talks over Ethiopia's Nile dam would "drag on", but voiced hope for a negotiated settlement to the dispute.

"We are negotiating and these negotiations will be a long battle," Sisi said.

But, he added, "we will succeed, God willing."

Sisi's comments, in a speech broadcast on state TV, came amid heightened tensions between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the vast Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile.

For nearly a decade, talks between the three countries over the operation and filling of the mega-dam have faltered.

Last week, Ethiopia announced it had reached its first-year target for filling the reservoir, a move that sparked anxiety in downstream Egypt and Sudan, who fear for their vital water supplies.

Speaking at the opening of an industrial park in eastern Cairo, Sisi said Egyptians' fears over the dam are "legitimate and natural" but warned the media against making "threats" of military action.

"Be careful, you are addressing public opinion," he said.

The long-running dispute has recently overflowed online, with Egyptians and Ethiopians sparring in online posts over their rights to the Nile's waters.

Cairo fears Ethiopia's dam would severely cut into its share of the Nile, which provides 97 percent of the water needs of more than 100 million Egyptians.

Ethiopia, which began building the dam in 2011 and hopes it will produce vast amounts of electricity for its slightly larger population, says it is vital for its development.

It insists downstream countries' water supplies will not be affected.

Sudan hopes the dam will help regulate flooding, but in June it warned that millions of lives would be at "great risk" if Ethiopia unilaterally fills the dam.

The Nile, the world's longest river, is a lifeline supplying both water and electricity to the 10 countries it crosses.

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Arab World

Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)

Over the past three weeks, Israel has systematically targeted hospitals, medical staff, aid workers, and ambulances across various regions of Lebanon, particularly in the heavily bombarded southern areas.
Tel Aviv appears intent on erasing signs of life and sustainability, especially south of the Litani River, aiming to turn the region into scorched earth and establish a buffer zone by force. The exact size of this zone, who will control it, and whether it will involve a permanent occupation remain unclear.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad recently stated that Israel is “deliberately and systematically” targeting medical teams, revealing that 13 hospitals are no longer operational, more than 150 healthcare workers have been killed, and over 100 medical centers and 130 ambulances have been targeted.
Last week, Nicolas von Arx, the regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, issued an urgent call to protect healthcare personnel, ambulances, hospitals, and primary care centers, expressing deep concern over the attacks on medical facilities.
The Islamic Health Authority, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that over 80 rescue workers have been killed in the past year, 70 of them in the past three weeks alone. The Scout Association of Amal Movement reported losing 21 members. Meanwhile, the Israeli army recently announced that any vehicle suspected of carrying armed militants would be considered a legitimate military target, regardless of its type.
Sobhiya Najjar, a public policy expert and coordinator of the Social Protection for All campaign at the Center for Social Science Research Applications (CESSRA), highlighted that the destruction of Lebanon’s healthcare system is systematic and mirrors what is happening in Gaza. She noted that Lebanon’s healthcare system, particularly in regions like Baalbek-Hermel, Bint Jbeil, and Tyre, was already fragile.
Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel targets medical centers, staff, ambulances, and firefighting services to weaken Hezbollah’s ability to treat the wounded and provide essential healthcare, thus increasing pressure on the health system.
This strategy sows chaos and fear among civilians, weakening morale and hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid, including medical and food supplies. She stressed that such actions violate international laws, which protect medical teams as neutral entities.
Paul Morcos, head of the legal organization Justicia, added that while Israel claims medical facilities and ambulances are used to hide weapons and militants, indiscriminate attacks that endanger doctors, nurses, patients, and civilians are prohibited under international law. He cited the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their protocols, which mandate taking precautions to avoid harm to civilians and ensure proportionality in military operations. These rules, he emphasized, have become customary and are binding on all nations.
For her part, political activist Dr. Mona Fayyad described these actions as part of a “genocide” committed by Israel, deliberately preventing the rescue of the wounded. She criticized the international community’s silence and argued that even if some medical personnel support Hezbollah, there is no justification for risking civilian lives under any pretext.