Water Issues

An Iraqi boy catches fish in the Tigris River in central Baghdad as the sun sets, on April 15, 2025.

Turkey gives drought-stricken Iraq more water in boost to PM Sudani

The agreement is expected to ease tensions and advance a joint infrastructure project linking Iraq’s Faw port to Turkey.

TOPSHOT - Vehicles jam a highway as a fire blazes nearby in the oil depots of Shahran, northwest of Tehran, on June 15, 2025. Israel and Iran exchanged fire on June 14, a day after Israel unleashed an unprecedented aerial bombing campaign that Iran said hit its nuclear facilities, "martyred" top commanders and killed dozens of civilians. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Exodus, shortages and strikes: Tehran reels under weight of Israel-Iran war

Israeli strikes on Tehran have continued, prompting evacuation warnings, creating fuel and internet disruptions, and adding to the growing number of residents who are fleeing the capital.

This general view shows the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in Guba, Ethiopia, on Feb. 19, 2022.

Analysis

Against Ethiopia, Egypt courts East African states over Nile dam dispute

Tensions over a wide range of issues, including Ethiopia’s ambitions for Red Sea access, are likely to worsen the dispute with Egypt over Addis Ababa’s controversial dam on the Nile River.

Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

By Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

In London, reporting on North Africa and Gulf politics

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received President of the Sovereign Council of the Republic of the Sudan General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan at Cairo International Airport.

Egypt's Sisi hosts Burhan, eyes reconstruction in Sudan: What to know

Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Sudanese army head Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met in Cairo for talks on the latest developments in Sudan as Cairo seeks lucrative reconstruction deals in the war-torn country.

Latest News

Analysis

How climate change, dams are fueling Iran-Afghanistan water disputes

A Taliban security personnel walks along the roadside during the inauguration ceremony of Bakhshabad Dam in Bala Buluk district of Farah province on May 20, 2023.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Analysis

First in 30 years: How Allenby Bridge attack could upend Jordan-Israel ties

A car drives past a road signal indicating the Allenby (King Hussein) Bridge crossing point to Jordan (background), Jericho, West Bank, Jan. 28, 2021.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Tensions surge in Horn of Africa as Ethiopia’s ambitions clash with Somalia, Egypt

A Somali National Army soldier stands at attention during the morning briefing for trainee officers at the General Dhagabadan Training Centre in Mogadishu on March 19, 2024.

In managing water crisis, can Turkey and Iraq bridge gap without Syria?

The Euphrates river near Dura Europos (Tell Salhiye), Syria. Iraq is just several miles downstream.

An aerial view shows the River Nile before sunset in the Helwan suburb south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on June 20, 2020. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Can social media campaigns change course of Nile dam talks?

The impact of Egypt’s social media campaigns promoting Egypt’s Nile water rights on decision-makers remains to be seen as Western countries have yet to openly back Egypt.

Intel: Trump, Sisi address Nile dam dispute and Libya war

President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed the Nile dam dispute with Ethiopia as well as the Libya war by phone today.

Kafule Yigzaw (L) check iron bars at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), near Guba in Ethiopia, on December 26, 2019. - The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a 145-metre-high, 1.8-kilometre-long concrete colossus is set to become the largest hydropower plant in Africa.
Across Ethiopia, poor farmers and rich businessmen alike eagerly await the more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity officials say it will ultimately provide.
Yet as thousands of workers toil day and night to finish the project, Ethiop

Is diplomacy running out on Egypt-Ethiopia dispute over Nile dam?

The African Union, the UN Security Council and the Trump administration may be last best bets to stave off an Egypt-Ethiopia war.

Workers walk along the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), near Guba in Ethiopia, on December 26, 2019. - The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a 145-metre-high, 1.8-kilometre-long concrete colossus is set to become the largest hydropower plant in Africa.
Across Ethiopia, poor farmers and rich businessmen alike eagerly await the more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity officials say it will ultimately provide.
Yet as thousands of workers toil day and night to finish the project, Ethiopian negotiators re

Egypt accuses Ethiopia of stonewalling on Nile dam

Egypt has accused Ethiopia of resisting making any of the concessions needed to reach an agreement on Addis Ababa's controversial dam on the Blue Nile.

A general view of the Saddle Dam, part of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Ethiopia, near Guba in Ethiopia, on December 26, 2019. - The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a 145-metre-high, 1.8-kilometre-long concrete colossus is set to become the largest hydropower plant in Africa.
Across Ethiopia, poor farmers and rich businessmen alike eagerly await the more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity officials say it will ultimately provide.
Yet as thousands of workers toil day and night to finish the

Anger flares as Ethiopia announces, denies Nile dam filling has started

Ethiopia has denied reports that the filling of its controversial Nile mega dam has begun.

(FILES) This file photo taken on December 26, 2019 shows a general view of the Blue Nile river as it passes through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), near Guba in Ethiopia. - The Nile, Egypt's lifeline since Pharaonic days, faces massive strain from pollution, over-use and climate change -- and now the threat of a colossal dam being built far upstream in Ethiopia. When its London-sized reservoir starts to fill this summer, Egypt fears the mega-project will spell an existential threat to its teemin

Eritrea weighs role in Egypt-Ethiopia dispute over Nile dam

Eritrea’s president visited Cairo against the backdrop of the faltering talks on the Nile dam dispute, raising questions about Eritrea’s role in helping reach an agreement between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

A general view of the Blue Nile river as it passes through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), near Guba in Ethiopia, on December 26, 2019. - The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a 145-metre-high, 1.8-kilometre-long concrete colossus is set to become the largest hydropower plant in Africa.
Across Ethiopia, poor farmers and rich businessmen alike eagerly await the more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity officials say it will ultimately provide.
Yet as thousands of workers toil day and night to fin

Conflicting reports emerge on Ethiopia filling Nile dam sans agreement with Egypt, Sudan

The latest talks between the three countries ended yesterday with no deal, though Egypt and Sudan have made it clear they are strongly opposed to the unilateral filling of the GERD without an agreement.

Will Iranian sea corridor compete with Suez Canal?

Iran has announced a sea corridor for commercial exchange with Russia and India as an alternative to the Egyptian Suez Canal, which raises questions about the impact this corridor will have on one of the main national economic resources in Cairo that has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Egypt offers partnership with Ethiopia on electricity projects to break stalemate in Nile dam talks

Egypt is about to start studies on an electricity linkage project with Ethiopia, against the background of faltering negotiations over Addis Ababa’s construction of a dam on the Nile River.

Tensions escalate between Egypt, Ethiopia with no end in sight of Nile dam dispute

Ethiopia has recently accused Egypt of unilaterally using Nile River waters via a project approved in 1995; Cairo says upstream countries are not affected and that it has all the rights to use the Nile waters.

Nile River dam talks resume, but still no agreement

Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan resumed negotiations on filling Ethiopia's mega dam on Friday.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) receives an Ethiopian man who Sisi said was "rescued" from war-torn Libya alongside 26 of his compatriots by Egypts security services upon their arrival at Cairo airport on May 7, 2015. It was not immediately clear how the Ethiopians were rescued, but Sisi's office said the group flown in on an Egyptian plane was "liberated by Egyptian and Libyan security services". AFP PHOTO / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Ethiopian refugees caught in middle of Nile dam row between Cairo, Addis Ababa

Ethiopian refugees in Egypt worry that their situation will decline further due to the Nile dam row between their host and home country.