Trump renews his criticism of Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam... a “stupid project”

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US President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam, describing the project as a “stupid thing,” in his latest statements in which he re-highlighted the dispute between Cairo and Addis Ababa over the project.

During an election rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday evening, Trump said that Ethiopia had built a large dam that is among the largest in the world, adding that its funding came from the United States, before criticizing the project by saying it was a “stupid thing.”

He also added: "They took all the water from the Nile River, and this is not good at all for Egypt. The Nile River has become almost devoid of water, but I was able to solve this problem."

While Trump did not clarify the nature of the solution he referred to, or whether he meant a specific agreement or diplomatic move regarding the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia, especially since the dispute between Addis Ababa on the one hand, and Cairo and Khartoum on the other hand, is still unresolved, in light of the continuing dispute over the project.

This is not the first time that Trump has criticized Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam, as his administration had previously intervened during his first term to facilitate negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, in an attempt to reach an agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam’s reservoir.

It is noteworthy that Washington hosted negotiating rounds with the participation of the three countries, and in the presence of the United States and the World Bank as observers, as it announced in 2020 a draft agreement based on the proposals of the technical and legal teams of the three countries, considering that it addresses the outstanding issues in a balanced manner.

But the efforts faltered after Ethiopia requested more time to conduct internal consultations, announced its refusal to consider the negotiations as having ended in an agreement, and did not participate in the final meeting that preceded Washington’s announcement of its position on the draft.

On the other hand, Egypt adheres to the need to reach a binding legal agreement that regulates the rules for filling and operating the Renaissance Dam, ensuring that the interests of the two downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, are taken into account, and defines clear mechanisms for dealing with periods of drought and extended drought, in addition to the rules for data exchange and coordination between the three countries.

Note that Cairo has confirmed more than once that operating the dam unilaterally, without a binding agreement, represents a source of concern for its water security, especially in light of its heavy dependence on the waters of the Nile River.