In a significant diplomatic move, United States President Donald Trump has formally offered to restart American mediation efforts between Egypt and Ethiopia concerning the contentious Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River. The offer was made in a letter to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Friday, 17 January 2026.
Trump's Renewed Diplomatic Push on Nile Waters
President Trump, in his communication, stated he was ready to reopen diplomacy to encourage Ethiopia into a cooperative water-sharing agreement for the mega-dam, a project that has been a major source of tension with downstream Egypt. The White House posted the letter on social media, where Trump wrote, "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."
He emphasized the US position, stating, "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 promised that the GERD issue would be "at the very top of my agenda." His proposed solution involves finding a formula to ensure a predictable water supply for Egypt and Sudan, while allowing Ethiopia to sell or provide electricity generated by the dam to the two nations.
A History of Tension and Failed Negotiations
This is not the first time Trump has intervened in the volatile dispute. Near the end of his first term, he sparked outrage by suggesting that Egypt might "blow up that dam" if no resolution was reached. Those remarks at the time stunned both nations, leading to diplomatic summons and vows of resistance from Ethiopia.
The GERD, inaugurated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in September, is Africa's largest hydropower project, constructed at a cost of $4 billion. It is set to more than double Ethiopia's current electricity capacity, serving as a powerful national symbol. However, for Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 97 percent of its water needs, the dam represents what President Sisi has termed an "existential threat."
Mediation attempts over the past decade by various entities, including the United States, the World Bank, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the African Union, have all faltered, leaving the dispute unresolved.
Strategic Alliances and the Path Forward
Trump's latest offer comes as he praised President Sisi, a key ally, for helping broker a ceasefire in Gaza. The two leaders share a warm relationship, with Trump once famously referring to the Egyptian leader as "my favorite dictator." Sisi, a former general, took power in a 2013 coup and has since governed with a firm hand, severely repressing political opposition.
The renewed US mediation offer places the decade-long Nile crisis back on the international stage. The critical questions now are whether Ethiopia will accept this fresh round of externally facilitated talks and if Trump's administration can succeed where so many others have failed in balancing Ethiopia's development aspirations with Egypt's survival needs.
