After GERD, can Egypt shape Ethiopia’s next Nile dams?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Egypt is facing a new round of Nile River tensions after Ethiopia revived plans for three Blue Nile hydropower projects — Karadobi, Mandaya and Beko Abo — following the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The article says the projects are still at the planning stage, but their revival is being seen as a fresh test of Cairo’s ability to influence how Ethiopia develops the river.

According to the report, Egypt is responding with diplomacy, international pressure and coordination with Sudan rather than trying to block construction directly. Cairo’s concern is not Ethiopia’s electricity generation itself, but how upstream water is stored and managed, especially during droughts. The article says Egypt wants rules on dam operations, water releases, drought management and information sharing. It also notes that Egypt raised the issue at the United Nations Security Council last year, reiterating its call for a binding agreement.

The GERD, inaugurated by Ethiopia in September 2025 after years of failed negotiations, is presented as the clearest example of the limits of Egypt’s leverage. The dam, built largely with Ethiopian funding, has become a major part of Ethiopia’s power system. Al Jazeera says the new projects could add to tensions, but their impact on Egypt and Sudan will depend on reservoir size, filling schedules, release rules and whether the dams are mainly for power or irrigation.

The report also highlights Sudan’s role as important but complicated, since Khartoum could benefit from electricity and more predictable flows while also seeking transparency and safeguards. More broadly, the piece frames the dispute as a contest between Ethiopia’s development goals and Egypt’s demand for water security.