The National published on 30 December 2025 an article titled "Egypt Finalises Deal to Develop Djibouti's Port in Bid to Pressure Ethiopia over Nile Dam" by Hamza Hendawi.
Egypt will upgrade Djibouti's Doraleh port and Eritrea's strategic Red Sea port of Assab to increase their capacity and create berths for warships and small military contingents. This is part of Egypt's strategy to build alliances with Ethiopia's neighbors and develop support for its position on Nile water disagreements.
Reuters published on 20 December 2023 an article titled "Egypt Says Talks over Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Have Failed - Statement."
Egypt issued a statement on 19 December that the latest talks with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) have failed, adding it would monitor the process of filling and operating the dam. Egypt said it reserves the right to defend its water and national security interests in case of any harm.
The Associated Press published on 11 March 2021 an article titled "Sudan's PM in Cairo to Discuss Ethiopia's Nile Dam Dispute" by Noha Elhennawy.
Egypt and Sudan are stepping up coordination on how they deal with Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Following a meeting in Khartoum by Egyptian President al-Sissi, the Sudanese Prime Minister visited Cairo to continue the talks. The two countries are calling for the addition of the United States, European Union, and United Nations to join the African Union in mediating the dispute.
The Associated Press posted on 6 January 2021 an article titled "Sudan Says It Signs Deal on Normalizing Ties with Israel" by Samy Magdy.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin just completed a visit to Egypt and Sudan, where the government in Khartoum signed the "Abraham Accords" that pave the way for Sudan to normalize relations with Israel. Mnuchin also discussed debt relief with the government of Sudan.
The Washington Post published an editorial on 27 October 2020 titled "Trump Should Be Mediating the Dispute over the Nile Dam. Instead He Is Inciting War."
President Trump recently suggested a solution to the impasse between Egypt and Ethiopia over the flow of water from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is for Egypt to blow it up. The editorial takes Trump to task for his irresponsible comment.
Egypt has said it has no intention of destroying the dam, which would most likely lead to war in Northeast Africa. Trump's reckless remarks following the failed US effort to help resolve the problem only worsen the situation. The African Union is fully engaged in an effort to reach an amicable solution. Instead of continuing to engage in this issue, it is time for the Trump administration to find more useful things to do between now and 20 January.
The Washington Post published on 6 October 2020 a commentary titled "A Conflict Is Brewing on the Nile--and the Trump Administration Is Making Things Worse" by Stephen Paduano, London School of Economics.
The author argues that the United States should help to solve Egypt's water needs by promoting better water management programs in Egypt than threatening to cut aid to Ethiopia.
In the meantime, the director-general of Ethiopia's Civil Aviation Authority has banned all flights in the vicinity of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in order to secure the dam from possible attack.
Foreign Affairs posted on 22 September 2020 an article titled "The Ethiopian-Egyptian Water War Has Begun" by Ayenat Mersie, a journalist based in Nairobi.
The author reports that many Ethiopians and Egyptians are conducting cyberattacks on behalf of their countries' position on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Nile water issues. Hence, water war by social media.
Foreign Policy published on 27 August 2020 an article titled "U.S. Halts Some Foreign Assistance Funding to Ethiopia Over Dam Dispute with Egypt, Sudan" by Robbie Gramer.
The author reports that the Trump administration is threatening to stop up to $130 million in assistance to Ethiopia because Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has not accepted the U.S. "mediation" proposal for filling the reservoir and releasing water from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). U.S. programs that are on the chopping block include security assistance, counterterrorism and military education and training, anti-human trafficking programs, and broader development assistance funding.
The one issue Ethiopians and the Ethiopian diaspora are united on today is completion of the GERD. Playing political hardball with Ethiopia will not only fail to obtain Washington's desired result but will probably ensure that the Ethiopian diaspora in the United States rallies against Trump. There are sizeable Ethiopian-American communities in key states such as Georgia, Texas, and Virginia.
