Addis ababa: In a sharp assessment, Getachew Reda, Minister and Advisor to the Ethiopian Prime Minister on East African Affairs, described Egypt's claim of exclusive control over the Nile as an outdated fantasy and condemned its regional interference as both counterproductive and dangerous.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Getachew stated in an exclusive interview with The Pulse of Africa that Egyptians are adept at creating an artificial reality. He criticized Egypt's long-standing insistence that the Nile belongs solely to it, rather than being a shared resource among upstream and downstream countries.
Getachew highlighted the audacity of Egypt's position, noting that one should not be surprised if an Egyptian claimed that Egypt itself is the source of the Nile. He argued that Egypt has a significant capacity to force science to fit its preferred narrative, producing a deep sense of entitlement that they call 'historic rights.'
Invoking Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci, Getachew argued that Egypt has developed cultural, social, and historical hegemony over how the Nile is perceived by Egyptians. This, he attributed to a one-sided interpretation of the river's significance, resulting in any attempt by other riparian countries to use these water resources being deemed unacceptable.
Getachew explained that the Egyptian framing of 'historic rights' implies that whoever used the water first must continue to use it indefinitely. He asserted that 'historic rights' are obsolete and that the later concept of 'water security' is simply another name for the same outdated claim.
He rejected the notion that the Nile issue is existential for Egypt, arguing that Egyptian leaders securitize the matter to preserve a monopoly. Getachew remarked that Egyptian politicians have a complicated relationship with reality, pointing to Egypt's poor water management practices as evidence.
He cited water-intensive projects such as the Toshka scheme, including desert golf courses, as examples of Egypt's poor water management, noting that annual evaporation from the Aswan High Dam exceeds the amount of water stored in Ethiopia's reservoirs.
Getachew accused the Egyptian regime of systematically destabilizing Ethiopia and Sudan. He argued that instability in Sudan serves Egypt's interests by preventing the country from fully utilizing the river, citing a double standard in Egypt's support for Brotherhood-linked elements in Sudan.
Getachew characterized Egypt's political maneuvering as short-sighted and insisted that the best option for Egypt is to abandon its failed strategy, come to terms with Ethiopia, and work toward regional stability. A stable Ethiopia and Sudan, he stressed, would never prejudice Egypt's legitimate interests.
He asserted that Ethiopia, as an upstream riparian, has every right to use its water resources and advised that Egypt must come to terms with reality. He criticized Egypt's attempts to impose its version of science on upstream countries as anachronistic and counterproductive.
Getachew insisted that any genuine negotiation or mediation must be rooted in reality and science, not politics, emphasizing that geography is stable and immutable.
