US President Donald Trump has signalled renewed American engagement in Africa’s most sensitive water dispute, offering to restart US-led mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia over the sharing of Nile River waters. The offer was made in a letter sent to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, dated January 16, 2026.
In the letter, Trump said the United States was prepared to once again act as a mediator to help resolve disagreements surrounding the Nile, a vital resource for millions of people across northeast Africa. He emphasised that no country should unilaterally control the river’s waters in a way that harms its neighbours.
“The United States affirms that no state in this region should unilaterally control the precious resources of the Nile and disadvantage its neighbours in the process,” Trump wrote, underscoring Washington’s opposition to unilateral actions.
The dispute centres on Ethiopia’s upstream dam projects and Egypt’s concern that reduced Nile flows could threaten its water security, agriculture and economic stability. Sudan, located between the two countries, has also raised concerns about dam safety and water management.
Trump said the US recognises the Nile’s deep historical and economic significance to Egypt and aims to help broker a balanced agreement that protects the interests of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. He proposed fair and transparent negotiations backed by strong US technical expertise and monitoring.
He also suggested that a final agreement should ensure predictable water releases during droughts for downstream nations while allowing Ethiopia to generate hydropower, with the possibility of surplus electricity being shared or sold to Egypt and Sudan.
Previous international mediation efforts have failed amid deep mistrust between Cairo and Addis Ababa. Trump’s proposal indicates a renewed attempt by Washington to reassert its diplomatic role in the region. As of now, neither Egypt nor Ethiopia has publicly responded to the offer.
