Ethiopia seeks to sell Nile water to Egypt and Sudan, says analyst

Political analyst Osama Al-Daleel has said that "Ethiopia wants to sell water to Egypt and Sudan."

Speaking in a phone interview with Al Arabiya FM radio, Al-Daleel described recent remarks by Ethiopia's water minister as provocative, but noted that Egypt responds to such statements by affirming Ethiopia's right to development, provided it does not harm the interests of downstream countries, namely Sudan and Egypt.

He added that former US President Donald Trump brokered an agreement on Nile water during his first term, which was signed by Egypt and Sudan, but Ethiopia withdrew at the last minute. Al-Daleel noted that during the G7 summit in France last June, Trump offered Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi mediation efforts on the issue, but Ethiopia did not respond.

The analyst continued that Egypt still has all options open, but remains hopeful that African unity, African dispute resolution committees, international law, and historical water agreements can provide a solution.

He further stated that Ethiopia wants to establish the principle of selling water and using it as a political tool to exert pressure and gain benefits, including access to a seaport on the Red Sea. He emphasized that the idea of selling water is rejected across Africa.

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