Washington/New Delhi:
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was prepared to reopen diplomatic mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to resolve the long-running dispute over Nile River water sharing, reignited by Ethiopia’s massive hydropower project that Cairo considers an existential threat.
In a letter addressed to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Trump said the United States was ready to resume its role as a mediator to ensure a fair and lasting agreement on the use of Nile waters. The letter was shared publicly by the White House on social media.
“I am ready to restart US mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to responsibly resolve the question of the ‘Nile Water Sharing’ once and for all,” Trump wrote.
He added that Washington believes no single country should unilaterally control the Nile’s waters to the detriment of downstream nations.
“The United States affirms that no state in this region should unilaterally control the precious resources of the Nile, and disadvantage its neighbors in the process,” Trump said.
GERD to be ‘top priority’
Trump said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) would be “at the very top of my agenda,” expressing hope for an agreement that would ensure predictable water flows to Egypt and Sudan, while allowing Ethiopia to benefit economically from the project.
He suggested a formula under which Ethiopia could sell or supply electricity generated by the dam to downstream countries, creating what he described as a mutually beneficial arrangement.
The GERD, inaugurated in September last year by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is Africa’s largest hydropower project. Built at a cost of approximately $4 billion, the dam is expected to more than double Ethiopia’s current electricity generation capacity and has become a powerful symbol of national pride.
Egypt sees dam as existential threat
Egypt, one of the world’s most water-scarce nations, relies on the Nile River for about 97 per cent of its water needs. President Sisi has repeatedly warned that the dam poses an existential threat to Egypt’s survival, particularly during periods of drought.
Over the past decade, mediation attempts involving the United States, the World Bank, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the African Union have all failed to produce a binding agreement on the dam’s operation and water-sharing mechanisms.
Trump’s past remarks stirred controversy
During his first term, Trump had already attempted to broker a deal over the GERD but sparked controversy with remarks suggesting Egypt could resort to military action if talks failed.
Speaking near the end of his presidency, Trump had said of Egypt’s potential response: “They’ll blow up that dam.”
The comments stunned both Cairo and Addis Ababa, prompting Egypt and Ethiopia to summon the US ambassador for clarification. Ethiopia vowed at the time to resist any attack on the dam.
Close ties with Sisi
Trump maintains a warm relationship with President Sisi, a former army general who came to power following a 2013 military takeover and has since overseen a sweeping crackdown on political opposition.
Trump has previously praised Sisi openly and was once quoted as calling him “my favourite dictator.”
The renewed US offer of mediation comes as Trump also lauded Sisi’s role in helping broker a ceasefire in Gaza, underscoring the strategic importance Washington places on its relationship with Egypt.