US Aims to Facilitate Solution That Ends GERD Dispute

Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam is seen as it undergoes construction work on the river Nile in Guba Woreda, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia (File photo: Reuters)
Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam is seen as it undergoes construction work on the river Nile in Guba Woreda, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia (File photo: Reuters)
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US Aims to Facilitate Solution That Ends GERD Dispute

Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam is seen as it undergoes construction work on the river Nile in Guba Woreda, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia (File photo: Reuters)
Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam is seen as it undergoes construction work on the river Nile in Guba Woreda, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia (File photo: Reuters)

The US administration is reviewing its policy regarding the Egyptian-Sudanese-Ethiopian dispute over the Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD), being built by Addis Ababa on the Nile River.

The State Department said Washington has decided to pause its assistance to Ethiopia for most security programs, days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken described acts in Tigray as "ethnic cleansing."

The US State Department spokesman, Ned Price, indicated that the United States is evaluating its role in order to facilitate reaching a solution to the dispute between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

"We continue to support the joint and constructive efforts of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to reach an agreement."

On the situation in the Tigray region, Price said that Washington “has decided not to lift the assistance pause for other programs, including most programs in the security sector.”

He indicated that the resumption of assistance will be evaluated on the basis of a number of factors and in a timely manner, in light of developments in Ethiopia.

“Lifting our assistance pause on programming outside of these areas remains under consideration. We are assessing whether to resume these programs in light of new challenges in Ethiopia and, of course, the needs of its people and how we can best address those.”

Price also announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Burma.

Secretary Blinken called for enhanced regional and international efforts to help resolve the humanitarian crisis, end atrocities, and restore peace in Ethiopia. They also discussed the importance of an independent, international and credible investigation into reported human rights abuses and violations in Tigray.

During his testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Blinken said he wanted to see Eritrean forces and those from the Amhara region replaced in Tigray by security forces that will respect human rights and not “commit acts of ethnic cleansing.”

President Joe Biden is “deeply concerned” about the crisis in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, announced White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

“The president is deeply concerned and highly engaged on this issue,” Psaki told reporters on Thursday.



Trump Says He Will Ease Sanctions on Syria, Moves to Restore Relations with New Leader

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)
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Trump Says He Will Ease Sanctions on Syria, Moves to Restore Relations with New Leader

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 07 May 2025. (EPA)

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will move to normalize relations and lift sanctions on Syria's new government to give the country “a chance at peace."

Trump was set to meet Wednesday in Saudi Arabia with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who last year led the overthrow of former leader Bashar Assad. He said the effort at rapprochement came at the urging of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“There is a new government that will hopefully succeed,” Trump said of Syria, adding, “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.”

The developments were a major boost for the Syrian president who at one point was imprisoned in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 US-led invasion of the country.  

Sharaa was named president of Syria in January, a month after a stunning offensive by opposition groups led by his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS that stormed Damascus ending the 54-year rule of the Assad family.

The US has been weighing how to handle Sharaa since he took power in December.  

Then-President Joe Biden left the decision to Trump, whose administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.

“The President agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow,” the White House said before Trump's remarks.

The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump, who had until now been deeply skeptical of Sharaa.

Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaeda insurgents battling US forces in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq.

Sharaa, whom the US once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaeda, came back to his home country after the conflict began in 2011 where he led al-Qaeda’s branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and cut links with al-Qaeda.

Sharaa is set to become the first Syrian leader to meet an American president since the late Hafez al-Assad met Bill Clinton in Geneva in 2000.