Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs today formally asserted the country's sovereign right to utilize the Abbay River for national development and criticized the negotiating stance of Egyptian officials as being rooted in an outdated "colonial era mentality."

In a statement released Wednesday, the Ministry claimed that Egypt's position, which is rooted in "colonial era treaties"and "historical rights,"reflects a failure to adapt to 21st-century realities. Ethiopia stressed its fundamental right to utilize the River Abbay for its development, pointing out that the river contributes approximately 86% of the waters of the Nile basin.

The Ministry emphasized that under the principle of fair, reasonable, and equitable utilization, Ethiopia has "no obligation to seek permission from anyone" to use resources within its borders.

According to the statement, Egyptian authorities are conducting a "campaign of destabilization" in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia claimed this effort is designed to foster "pliant, weak and fragmented client states"that would comply with Cairos demands regarding the Nile.

The statement noted that Egypt, which had previously "pretended to engage in negotiations,"has now moved to an overt rejection of dialogue, leading to an "escalation" in hostile rhetoric.

The Ministry defended its development initiatives, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), as an embodiment of African self-reliance and progress.

Ethiopia concluded by calling for cooperation and dialogue over confrontation, while confirming its firm commitment to utilizing the Abbay River to meet the needs of present and future generations through win-win solutions based on principles of fairness and equity.