On Saturday, Egypt and Sudan expressed support for President Donald Trump’s proposition to reignite United States mediation efforts concerning the protracted dispute over the Nile River water sharing, prompted by Ethiopia’s construction of an enormous dam.
Inaugurated last fall, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) stands as Africa’s largest, with ambitions to exceed 5,000 megawatts in electricity generation, thereby doubling Ethiopia’s capacity. Egypt, however, perceives this as a breach of international law, threatening its vital Nile water supply.
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi expressed appreciation for Trump’s focus on the Nile, advocating for international collaboration on principles that protect shared interests. Sudan’s military leader, Gen Abdel-Fattah Burhan, endorsed Trump’s initiative and called for solutions that uphold all parties’ rights, although Ethiopia has not yet commented. The conflict, primarily over dam operations and water release during droughts, continues amid calls for legally binding agreements.
(With inputs from agencies.)