Egypt reserves legitimate right to protect its water security

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stressed that Egypt’s water security is an existential issue that allows for no compromise.

Speaking on behalf of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during the high-level general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Madbouly added that the Nile is not merely an economic resource but a lifeline intertwined with the existence and historical development of Egyptian society.

Madbouly affirmed that Egypt reserves its legitimate right, guaranteed by the UN Charter and international law, to protect its water security and safeguard the existential assets of its people.

He stressed that while Egypt does not oppose any nation’s right to development, it firmly defends the principle that development must not come at the expense of harming others.

Shared resources cannot be managed through unilateral measures or a fait accompli policy but rather through cooperation, good neighborliness, and binding agreements in accordance with international law that preserve the legitimate rights and interests of all, the prime minister said.

Madbouly emphasized that cross-border water resources must serve as a domain for cooperation rather than conflict, noting that development in one nation must not come at the expense of harming others, advocating for binding agreements anchored in international law.

Madbouly also stressed that regional crises cannot be managed as isolated cases, warning against foreign interventions and the erosion of national state institutions.

Regarding the Palestinian issue, the Prime Minister called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, rejecting any displacement of Palestinians and reaffirming the goal of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. On the Sudanese crisis, Madbouly reaffirmed Egypt’s unwavering support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, and state institutions.

Concluding Egypt’s remarks, Madbouly called for a genuine and comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, particularly to address the historical injustice faced by Africa through the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.

He further underscored the urgent need to reform the global financial architecture, govern emerging technologies like artificial intelligence responsibly, and ensure a just green transition that supports developing nations.

Madbouly said the international system is facing challenges that require restoring trust, stressing the need for effective multilateralism in which every country has a voice and for an international system that fulfills its commitments and guarantees equality in sovereignty among states.

He stressed that the Palestinian issue is a prominent example of the flaws in the current international system.

“Our goal is clear—to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state,” he said.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza in accordance with the Sharm El-Sheikh plan and US President Donald Trump’s plan.