Trump “To Cut Ribbon” on Nile Dam

US President Donald Trump has reportedly expressed his desire “to cut the ribbon” at the opening of the controversial Grand Renaissance Dam that will traverse the River Nile in Ethiopia.

His comments came during mediated talks held in the US between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.

The Ethiopian project is the centrepiece of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s manufacturing and industrial dream for the East African country and will purportedly provide a staggering 6,000 megawatts of electricity once operational in December 2020.

Sileshi Bekele, the Ethiopian Minister for Water and Irrigation, spoke to reporters in the US following the talks.

He said “President Trump sat with six people [two from each country] and tried to understand the situation.  At the end of the discussion, he said he’d want to cut the ribbon with us on inauguration.

“But he stressed that we should avoid differences and work in cooperation.  He’s given direction to the treasury secretary to lead discussions for smooth, quick and careful completion of the project”.

However, a joint statement issued on behalf of the three parties by the US Treasury Department did not mention President Trump opening the dam.

The $4 billion dam is highly controversial and is opposed by the Egyptian government, who argue that it’s construction will allow Ethiopia to control the flow of the river.

The Nile holds huge historical and cultural importance in North and East Africa, not least for Egypt, who relies on the river for 85 per cent of its water.

A colonial-era treaty signed in 1929 gave both Egypt and Sudan rights to almost all of the river, but Ethiopia claims it should not be bound by a decades old law which it was not consulted on.

All sides have agreed to a continuation of talks, and to reach a final settlement by January 2020.