Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has offered to mediate a dispute over the allocation of water in the Nile River between Egypt and Ethiopia. The U.S. leader stated in a letter to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, released via his Truth Social social media account, that he is prepared to restore the U.S. mediating role between the two countries to permanently resolve the ongoing issue of "Nile River water allocation."
According to Thai News Agency, the latest wave of tensions stemmed from the Ethiopian government officially opening the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on September 9th, a move that greatly angered the Egyptian government, a country downstream on the Nile River. Ethiopia, the continent's second-most populous country with over 120 million people, views the $5 billion dam built on a tributary of the Nile River as a key part of the country's economic goals.
Meanwhile, Egypt insists that the dam construction violates international treaties and could cause both droughts and floods, accusations that Ethiopia has consistently denied. In the past, Trump has consistently praised President Sisi, including during his visit to Egypt in October to sign an agreement related to the Gaza conflict. Furthermore, in several public comments, Mr. Trump has expressed sentiments consistent with Cairo's concerns regarding water resources.