US President Donald Trump declared on Monday that his administration would take steps to mediate the ongoing dispute between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which has strained regional relations and raised fears over water security in North and East Africa.
Speaking during a NATO summit at the White House, Trump underscored Egypt’s reliance on the Nile River, remarking, “The lives of Egypt’s people depend on the Nile River,” and pledging that the United States would “work to resolve the dispute” surrounding the massive dam project on the Blue Nile.
Trump expressed surprise at America’s past financial involvement in the GERD project, stating bluntly: “And I don’t know why?”
The GERD, which Ethiopia began constructing in 2011, has been a point of contention for over a decade, with Egypt and Sudan raising concerns that the dam could drastically reduce their share of Nile waters.
Ethiopia, for its part, maintains that the dam is essential for its economic development and electricity generation.
Trump also used the occasion to voice his frustrations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that while Putin has so far resisted efforts to reach an agreement on other pressing global matters, “an agreement with him will be reached at some point.”
The US President further announced that Washington will supply advanced weapons to Ukraine, including the imminent delivery of Patriot missile systems to Kyiv.
He stressed that Ukraine would cover the cost of these arms and reaffirmed his commitment to equipping NATO with “the best weapons.”
Addressing the ongoing war in Ukraine, Trump warned that his administration may impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on Russia. He also cautioned that “very severe tariffs” would be levied against Moscow’s allies should the conflict continue.
Trump’s remarks on the GERD mark a renewed American engagement in one of Africa’s most complex water disputes. Previous US-led mediation attempts during his first term failed to yield a breakthrough, and Ethiopia ultimately rejected Washington’s proposed agreement in 2020.
Whether this latest pledge signals a substantive shift in US diplomacy on the issue remains to be seen, but the involvement of the world’s most powerful nation could bring renewed urgency to resolving the deadlock between the three countries.
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