He called for studying the environmental, social, and economic impacts along the river basin and developing and implementing effective solutions. He also called for preventing the dam dispute from escalating into a military conflict with Egypt. Egypt initialed the agreement, while Ethiopia refused to attend or sign, arguing that Washington had exceeded its role as a mediator and shifted toward political pressure. He emphasized that the absence of a legally binding enforcement mechanism renders any agreement vulnerable to reversal or reinterpretation. He concluded by saying: “Unless this mediation is backed by tangible measures and legal guarantees, it may turn into just another chapter in a series of diplomatic maneuvers.

Source: Ethiopian News January 19, 2026 19:29 UTC