CAIRO – 21 July 2025: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Michael Erik Kurilla held a meeting in Egypt on Sunday, which mainly focused on key regional issues including the ongoing war in Gaza and the Nile water file.
During the meeting, Sisi emphasized the critical importance of the Nile River water issue as a matter of national security for Egypt, the Presidency said in a statement.
The president’s remarks come as Ethiopia is preparing to officially inaugurate its 74 billion cubic meter Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in September despite longstanding concerns by Egypt and Sudan, the downstream countries.
Ethiopia has continued filling and operating the dam over the past years, brushed aside demands by Egypt and Sudan, the downstream countries, that a written agreement must be reached first.
Egypt has repeatedly warned that the filling and operation of the dam with the absence of a clear legally-binding agreement is an “existential threat” with the country relying on the Nile for over 98 percent of its water supply.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia has claimed that the dam will not harm the water shares of the downstream countries and will also benefit them.
Egypt and Sudan have failed to persuade Ethiopia to ink a legally-binding agreement regarding the GERD through more than a decade of negotiations, which Cairo later called “a waste of time” with Ethiopia “lacking the political will” required to reach a solution.
Last week, US President Donald Trump called the Nile “a very important source of income and life” for Egypt, stating that “we think we are going to have that solved very quickly.”
“I think if I am Egypt, I want to have water in the Nile, and we are working on that,” Trump said during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The US president stated that the dam is “closing up water going to the Nile,” emphasizing that taking away that vital resource from Egypt is “pretty incredible.”
Besides the Nile, Sisi’s discussions with Kurilla also covered regional issues including the developments in Syria, Libya, Sudan and the Horn of Africa as well as the crisis in Gaza.
They have agreed on the necessity to reduce tensions in the region and march toward political and sustainable solutions to the ongoing crises.
On Gaza, Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the enclave, facilitate the exchange of captives and prisoners, and urgently resume the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The president commended Trump's endeavors toward a ceasefire and highlighted the importance of reviving the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and striving for permanent peace and stability in the region.
The war in Gaza continues for the 21st month, with Israeli forces killing nearly 60,000 Palestinians so far and pushing the enclave toward imminent famine amid Israeli restrictions on aid.
Hamas and Israel are currently engaged in indirect talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US in a bid to secure a 60-day ceasefire and a captive release agreement that includes the release of 10 living Israeli captives still held in Gaza.
For his part, Kurilla conveyed greetings from Trump, which Sisi appreciated, affirming the depth of the strategic relationship between Egypt and the US.
The meeting addressed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and joint coordination across various fields, particularly in military and security matters.
Discussions also emphasized the need to strengthen this cooperation in light of both sides' commitment to supporting regional and global security and stability.
Mon, Jul. 21, 2025
