Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday thanked US President Donald Trump for what he described as his understanding of Egypt’s concerns over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a long-running source of tension between Cairo and Addis Ababa.
Speaking alongside Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, Sisi said he deeply appreciated the US president’s stance on the issue.
“I cannot overemphasise how much respect I have for you for your understanding of the challenging issue of the dam,” Sisi said during a media briefing.
Trump, in turn, said Egypt had been “very unfairly treated” in the dispute surrounding the massive Ethiopian hydroelectric project on the Blue Nile, which Egypt fears could affect its vital water supplies.
The GERD has remained one of the most contentious issues in relations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, with years of negotiations failing to produce a comprehensive agreement on the dam’s operation and water-sharing arrangements.
During the meeting, Sisi also welcomed a recently announced agreement between the United States and Iran, describing it as a positive development for regional stability.
“Egypt is awaiting the conclusion of a final agreement between Washington and Tehran in order to react appropriately and state our positive views and perspectives,” Sisi said.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Monday that the United States and Iran had reached an agreement following intensive negotiations, raising hopes of easing tensions in the Middle East.
