Egypt Rejects Any Measure that Violates its Nile Water Rights

Egypt’s Sisi and Chairperson of the African Union Commission hold talks in Cairo. (Egyptian presidential spokesman)
Egypt’s Sisi and Chairperson of the African Union Commission hold talks in Cairo. (Egyptian presidential spokesman)
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Egypt Rejects Any Measure that Violates its Nile Water Rights

Egypt’s Sisi and Chairperson of the African Union Commission hold talks in Cairo. (Egyptian presidential spokesman)
Egypt’s Sisi and Chairperson of the African Union Commission hold talks in Cairo. (Egyptian presidential spokesman)

Egyptian President has stressed his country’s commitment to reaching comprehensive, binding and legal agreement on regulating the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. (GERD)

During a meeting with Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki in Cairo, he reiterated his rejection of any measure or action that would violate Egypt’s rights to Nile waters.

Sisi received Faki on Sunday days before a scheduled AU summit.

Faki, for his part, praised Egypt’s efforts, stressing the importance of continuing intense coordination to resolve the dam dispute and reaching a fair and balanced agreement.

According to presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady, the officials discussed several political developments and various conflicts in Africa, including the situation in the Horn of Africa and Libya.

Sisi said Cairo “has not (and will not) spare any effort to support its African brothers and will always seek cooperation, construction and development for the sake of all African countries.”

Development in Africa begins first with promoting stability and establishing an integrated infrastructure that forms a base, which allows linking African countries together, thus promoting the desired goal of economic and regional integration, a presidency statement read.

It quoted Faki as highlighting Cairo’s role and influence under Sisi in the continent, saying the AU Looks up to it as a “strong pillar of joint African action.”

He expressed confidence that Egypt “will continue to promote development efforts in Africa and maintain security and political stability in the continent.”

For nearly a decade, the AU-sponsored talks between Cairo, Addis Ababa and Khartoum over the operation and filling of the mega-dam Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile have faltered.

Egypt and Sudan fear the dam will affect their shares of the Nile waters and stress the need to reach a binding agreement that guarantees the rights and interests of the three countries, and includes a mechanism for settling disputes. Ethiopia, however, rejects “restricting its rights to use its water resources.”

The 38th two-day ordinary session of the AU’s Executive Council at the ministerial level is scheduled to be held via videoconference on Feb. 3. The 34th two-day ordinary session of the AU’s Assembly of the Heads of State and Government is scheduled for Feb. 6.



Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
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Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)

Scores of US-backed Kurdish fighters left two neighborhoods in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo Friday as part of a deal with the central government in Damascus, which is expanding its authority in the country.

The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh, which had been under the control of Kurdish fighters in Aleppo over the past decade.

The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. The deal could eventually lead to the merger of the main US-backed force in Syria into the Syrian army.

The withdrawal of fighters from the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came a day after dozens of prisoners from both sides were freed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces were deployed along the road that SDF fighters will use to move between Aleppo and areas east of the Euphrates River, where the Kurdish-led force controls nearly a quarter of Syria.

Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh had been under SDF control since 2015 and remained so even when forces of ousted President Bashar al-Assad captured Aleppo in late 2016. The two neighborhoods remained under SDF control when forces loyal to current interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa captured the city in November, and days later captured the capital, Damascus, removing Assad from power.

After being marginalized for decades under the rule of the Assad family rule, the deal signed last month promises Syria’s Kurds “constitutional rights,” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades.

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement.

Kurds made up 10% of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. Kurdish leaders say they don’t want full autonomy with their own government and parliament. They want decentralization and room to run their day-to day-affairs.