Speaking at an Al-Monitor breakfast on May 17 in Washington DC, Egyptian Ambassador to the US Motaz Zahran addressed the “strategic” nature of ties between Washington and Cairo, human rights in Egypt, and the country’s conflict with Ethiopia over its mega dam on the Nile River.

Zahran: US should use leverage with Ethiopia amid Nile dam dispute

On the negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Zahran said that if the talks remain stalled, “you can expect anything. You will have a situation whereby Egypt will have to look into all its options.”

“What is for sure,” he added, is that Egypt will continuously “stick to its diplomatic options.” 

Zahran also stressed the strategic nature of US-Egypt ties. 

“If you want me to characterize the [US-Egypt] relationship, I would simply say it’s a strategic relationship,” Zahran said, pointing to cooperation over security, intelligence sharing and the economy. “We look at these pillars as cementing the relationship from deviating into areas that are not necessarily conducive to a better atmosphere.”