Egypt welcomes Trump’s offer to mediate Nile River water dispute with Ethiopia
President Donald Trump’s offer to settle the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile waters has drawn thanks from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as the two African countries continue their decades-long feud over water security.
Trump said in a letter to the Egyptian leader on Friday that he was “ready to restart U.S. mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to responsibly resolve the ‘Nile water sharing’ issue once and for all.”
In response on Saturday, el-Sissi said the Nile “represents the lifeline of the Egyptian people” and that his country supported Trump’s efforts.
The decades-long dispute over the Nile’s waters intensified in September after Ethiopia launched the $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, with neighboring Egypt expressing concerns about reduced water flows downstream.
Ethiopia, the continent’s second most populous country, with more than 120 million people, aspires to become a major electricity exporter and sees the hydroelectric dam as a central part of its ambitions.
Egypt, meanwhile, says the dam violates international treaties and could significantly reduce its water supply if it is filled too quickly. The country, which depends almost entirely on the Nile for its fresh water, is also concerned that Ethiopia uses more water during drought years.
The two countries have both hinted at military measures to protect their interests, and experts fear a breakdown in negotiations could lead to conflict.
“Egypt affirmed its commitment to serious and constructive cooperation with the Nile Basin countries, based on the principles of international law, in a way that achieves common interests without harming any of the parties,” el-Sissi continued in his message.
Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan also welcomed Trump’s mediation offer on Saturday.
Trump has praised el-Sissi in the past, including during a trip to Egypt in October where he signed a deal related to the Gaza conflict, and has publicly echoed Cairo’s concerns over the water issue.
During his first term in 2020, Trump predicted that Egypt would “eventually blow up the dam.” He said, “They’re going to blow up this dam. And they have to do something.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed then responded, declaring in a statement that did not mention Trump by name that his country “would not yield to any aggression.”
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday that El-Sisi was considering an invitation from Trump to join a “peace council” for Gaza, part of the next phase of the Trump administration’s long-term plan for peace in the enclave.
