Former Egyptian Irrigation Minister Urges Precautions Against Ethiopian Dam Collapse Risk

Egypt’s former irrigation minister Mohamed Abdel Aty has called for precautions against a possible collapse of the Ethiopian dam, saying preparations are necessary even if the likelihood is only 1%.

Abdel Aty made the remarks while discussing Egypt’s negotiations with Addis Ababa over the dam dispute and Cairo’s position on development projects in Ethiopia.

He said Egypt had not opposed any development projects in Ethiopia, distinguishing that stance from its concerns surrounding the dam.

His reference to a 1% probability was framed as a call for precaution even in a low-likelihood scenario, rather than a stated assessment of the risk of collapse. The remarks provided did not specify what protective measures he advocated.