Egypt Says Megich Dam’s Small Size Does Not Alter Opposition to Unilateral Nile Projects

Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam has described Ethiopia’s Megich Dam as “very small,” while stressing that its limited size does not change Cairo’s opposition to unilateral measures in the Nile Basin.

The remarks marked the first Egyptian statement on the Ethiopian dam, setting out a position that distinguishes the scale of the project from the principle governing Egypt’s response.

Sewilam reaffirmed that Cairo rejects unilateral action in the basin, which it considers a violation of international law. His comments made clear that Egypt does not view the dam’s small size as grounds for an exception to that stance.

The statement placed Megich within Egypt’s broader objections to how projects in the Nile Basin are pursued, rather than focusing solely on the dimensions of the dam itself.