U.S. President Donald J. Trump has offered to restart American mediation between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to resolve the long-standing dispute over the Nile River and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), according to a letter addressed to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
In the correspondence dated 16 January 2026, Trump stated his administration is prepared to “responsibly resolve the question of ‘The Nile Water Sharing’ once and for all,” affirming that no state in the region should “unilaterally control the precious resources of the Nile, and disadvantage its neighbors in the process.”
The U.S. President expressed hope that the “understandable dispute” over the dam would not escalate into “major Military conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia,” placing the resolution of these tensions at the “very top” of his agenda for peace in Africa and the Middle East.
The proposed U.S. approach seeks to guarantee “predictable water releases during droughts and prolonged dry years” for downstream nations Egypt and Sudan. Simultaneously, the framework would allow Ethiopia to generate “very substantial amounts of electricity,” some of which Trump suggested could be given or sold to its neighbors.
“I believe that with the right technical expertise, fair and transparent negotiations, and a strong United States role in monitoring and coordinating between parties, we can achieve a lasting agreement for all Nile Basin Nations,” Trump wrote.
The letter also commended President Al-Sisi for his “leadership in successfully mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas” and for managing security and humanitarian challenges since 7 October 2023. Trump noted that the conflict in Gaza and Israel has “weighed heavily on Egyptians, not just their neighbors.”
The communication was copied to several regional leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie, and Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council Chairman General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan.
