Trump Offers to Mediate Egypt-Ethiopia Nile dispute, Deepens US Push Into African Affairs

US President Donald Trump has offered to mediate the long-running dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile River, days after helping broker a ceasefire between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, highlighting a more assertive American role in African affairs since he returned to power.

Trump said he was ready to help restart talks between Cairo and Addis Ababa to resolve differences over the use of Nile waters, a row that has simmered for more than a decade and is seen by Egypt as a threat to its national security.

The offer comes as the United States steps up diplomatic and security engagement across the continent, including recent US air strikes against Islamist militants in Nigeria and expanded cooperation with African governments on conflict resolution.

Egypt relies on the Nile for nearly all of its fresh water and has long opposed Ethiopia’s construction and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, arguing it could sharply reduce downstream flows during droughts.

Ethiopia says the dam is vital for development and electricity generation and insists it will not cause significant harm.

At the heart of the dispute are disagreements over how quickly the dam’s vast reservoir should be filled and how it should be managed during dry periods. Egypt has demanded a binding agreement to guarantee water flows, while Ethiopia has resisted limits it says would constrain its sovereign right to use its resources.

Previous negotiations involving Sudan have repeatedly stalled, despite years of African Union-led talks and earlier US mediation efforts. Ethiopia began power generation at the dam late last year, further raising tensions.

Trump’s move on the Nile follows his involvement in easing tensions between Congo and Rwanda after renewed fighting in eastern Congo raised fears of a wider regional conflict.

US officials said Washington helped push both sides toward de-escalation through direct diplomacy with regional leaders.

The administration has also taken a harder security line in West Africa.

In Nigeria, US forces carried out strikes against Islamist militant targets in coordination with Abuja, part of what Washington says is a broader effort to counter armed groups linked to Islamic State and Boko Haram.

Since assuming office, Trump has sought to raise US visibility in Africa through a mix of mediation, military pressure and bilateral engagement, marking a shift from years in which Washington largely left conflict resolution to regional blocs.

Whether the renewed US push can deliver lasting results remains uncertain, particularly on the Nile, where positions remain deeply entrenched.

gandae@businessdayafrica.org