President Donald Trump’s offer to settle a dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over Nile River waters has drawn thanks from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, as the two African nations continue their decadeslong quarrel 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 question of ‘The Nile Water Sharing’ once and for all.”
Responding on Saturday, el-Sissi said the Nile River “represents the lifeline of the Egyptian people” and that his country supported Trump’s efforts.
The decadeslong dispute over Nile waters escalated 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 nation, with more than 120 million people, aspires to become a major power exporter and sees the hydroelectric dam as central to its ambitions.
Egypt, meanwhile, says the dam violates international treaties and could significantly reduce its water supply if filled too quickly. The nation, which is almost entirely dependent on the Nile for its fresh water, is also concerned about Ethiopia using more water during drought years.
The two countries have both hinted at military steps to protect their interests, and experts fear a breakdown in talks could lead to conflict.
“Egypt has affirmed its commitment to serious and constructive cooperation with the Nile Basin countries, based on the principles of international law, in a manner that achieves shared interests without causing harm to any party,” el-Sissi continued in his post.
Sudan’s army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan also welcomed Trump’s mediation offer on Saturday.
Trump has praised el-Sissi in the past, including during an October trip to Egypt when he signed a deal related to the Gaza conflict, and has publicly echoed Cairo’s concerns about the water issue.
During his first term in 2020, Trump predicted that Egypt would “end up blowing up the dam.” He said: “They’ll blow up that dam. And they have to do something.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed pushed back at the time, saying in a statement that did not mention Trump by name that his country would “not cave in to aggression of any kind.”
Egypt’s foreign ministry said Saturday that el-Sissi was considering an invitation from Trump to join a “Board of Peace” for Gaza, part of the next phase of the Trump administration’s long-term plan for peace in the enclave.
