Addis Abeba — The United States is ready to resume mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump has said, signalling a renewed diplomatic effort to resolve the long-running dispute over the use and management of Nile waters.
Massad Boulos, senior adviser to Trump on African affairs, said Washington was prepared to facilitate the resumption of talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan and provide technical support to help the three countries address outstanding issues surrounding the dam.
Boulos said the Trump administration wanted to see the parties return to negotiations and work towards a comprehensive agreement, according to Egypt Independent.
The US initiative comes as tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia remain high over the operation of the GERD, which Ethiopia constructed on the Blue Nile, the main tributary of the Nile. Addis Ababa considers the dam a key national development project that will significantly expand its electricity-generating capacity and support economic development.
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Discover moreMagazinesLocal Newspolitics Egypt, which depends on the Nile for the vast majority of its freshwater needs, has repeatedly raised concerns about the potential impact of the dam on downstream water supplies. Cairo has called for a legally binding agreement governing the filling and operation of the GERD, particularly during prolonged periods of drought.
History Sudan has also been involved in the negotiations, although its position has at times differed from that of Egypt. Khartoum has highlighted potential benefits from regulated water flows and electricity imports while also raising concerns over the safety and operation of the dam.
Previous rounds of negotiations involving Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan and international mediators have failed to produce a final agreement. The dispute has remained particularly contentious since Ethiopia began filling the reservoir behind the dam without a comprehensive agreement with the downstream countries.
Discover moreAfricans & DiasporaPoliticsExecutive BranchNewsnewsNewspapersPoliticalDemographicspoliticalGeographic Reference The latest US push comes amid renewed Egyptian warnings over Ethiopia's plans for additional water infrastructure on the Nile and its tributaries.
Egypt has said it will not allow any country to control the flow of Nile waters to downstream states, according to an Egyptian source cited by Middle East Monitor on Aug. 16.
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The source was responding to remarks attributed to Ethiopian Water and Energy Minister Habtamu Itefa concerning Ethiopia's plans to build additional dams on the Nile and increase its control over water resources.
Geographic Reference According to Middle East Monitor, the Egyptian source accused Ethiopia of pursuing unilateral measures and violating international law, while reiterating Cairo's demand for an agreement that safeguards Egypt and Sudan's water interests.
The source said Egypt had "multiple and wide-ranging tools" to defend its interests but did not specify what measures Cairo could take.
Egypt has consistently maintained that any arrangement concerning the Nile must protect its established water interests, while Ethiopia has rejected what it considers restrictions on its sovereign right to develop its water resources.
The dispute over the GERD has therefore remained one of the most significant sources of tension between the two countries, with previous diplomatic initiatives failing to bridge differences over the dam's operation, drought management and future water projects. AS
