Trump Calls Ethiopia’s Nile Dam a “Big Problem,” Vows to Mediate Dispute
U.S. President Donald Trump has described Ethiopia’s $5-billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as “a big problem,” pledging to help resolve the long-running dispute between Ethiopia 🇪🇹 and Egypt 🇪🇬 over the project.
Speaking after talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said the dam “blocks water” from flowing to neighboring countries, raising concerns about its impact on downstream nations, especially Egypt.
The GERD, which was commissioned in September, is Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam and a key development project for Ethiopia.
However, Egypt has long argued that the dam threatens its water security, as the Nile is its main source of freshwater.
The dam dispute remains one of the most sensitive geopolitical issues in Northeast Africa, with negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan repeatedly stalling over the years.