Egypt rejects US quid pro quo offer to resolve dam dispute with Ethiopia

The two countries are at loggerheads over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. According to reports by Al Araby Al Jadeed, the Trump administration has offered swift intervention, but on the condition that Egypt backs Israel's plan to relocate Gaza's population into Rafah, on the Egyptian border.

Egypt says Trump's proposal by the US is a quid pro quo, and it has the potential to compromise their national security. There are concerns that the war in Gaza could be used as a way to expel Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula, a move formerly rejected by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Officials are warning that the move will trigger a confrontation with Israel.

The country had previously sought US intervention to pressure Ethiopia to ease its stance on controlling the Nile's flow, stating that it relies on the Nile for freshwater and fears that the $5 billion dam project will drastically reduce its water supply.

In a social media statement, al-Sisi expressed appreciation for Trump's willingness to reach an agreement that aims for a fair solution for both parties.