The United States has re-entered the long-running dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), signalling support for Egypt’s demand for guaranteed Nile water flows while proposing that Ethiopia share or sell electricity generated from the massive hydropower project as part of a broader settlement.

In a January 16, 2026, letter to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was “ready to restart U.S. mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia” to resolve what he described as the unresolved question of Nile water sharing. The move marks a renewed American push after years of stalled talks led by the African Union.

Trump acknowledged the strategic and existential importance of the Nile River to Egypt, while stressing the need to safeguard water security for Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia through coordinated management, technical oversight and fair negotiations.

GERD: Ethiopia’s Energy Ambition, Regional Flashpoint

GERD, Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, has been a source of regional tension since construction began in 2011. Ethiopia completed the over $4 billion project in July 2025, largely financed through domestic bonds and diaspora contributions, and officially inaugurated the dam on September 9, 2025.

The dam has a 6,450-megawatt capacity, with a reservoir capable of holding 74 billion cubic metres of water across nearly 1,874 square kilometres. Ethiopia has already begun partial power generation and plans to use the facility to meet domestic energy needs while earning foreign exchange through electricity exports across the region.

Egypt and Sudan’s Downstream Fears

Downstream countries, particularly Egypt and Sudan, have repeatedly warned that the dam threatens their water security if not properly coordinated. In a joint statement issued days after GERD’s inauguration in September 2025, Cairo and Khartoum described Ethiopia’s actions as “unilateral” and warned of a “continuous threat to regional stability.”

Sudan has expressed concern that uncoordinated water releases could endanger its Roseires Dam, located about 110 kilometres downstream, while Egypt has long argued that any disruption to Nile flows could have severe consequences for its agriculture, population and economy.

Despite mediation efforts involving the African Union, the United States, the European Union and the UN Security Council, Ethiopia has consistently rejected binding international oversight, maintaining that GERD is a sovereign development project.

Washington’s Energy-for-Water Proposal

Trump’s intervention introduces a link between energy cooperation and water security, proposing that Ethiopia’s hydropower ambitions be balanced with downstream guarantees.

“A successful deal will guarantee predictable water releases during droughts and prolonged dry years for Egypt and the Sudan,” Trump wrote, “while allowing Ethiopia to generate very substantial amounts of electricity, perhaps some of which can be given, or sold, to Egypt.”

He described resolving the GERD dispute as a top diplomatic priority, warning that failure to do so could escalate into conflict.

“I very much hope that this understandable dispute over the GERD will not escalate into a major military conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia,” he said.

For Africa, the renewed U.S. involvement demonstrates the global stakes of Nile Basin stability, as water security, energy transition and regional peace intersect.

Ghana is at the center of an international controversy after West African migrants deported from the United States were later sent on to their home countries, despite U.S. court orders meant to protect some of them from refoulement.

The situation emerged as part of the Trump administration’s “third-country” deportation policy, under which the United States has transferred foreign nationals it cannot easily return directly to their countries of origin.

Instead, Washington struck agreements with nations including Ghana and Equatorial Guinea to temporarily receive those migrants.

One of the most closely watched cases involves Rabbiatu Kuyateh, a 58-year-old woman from Sierra Leone who had lived in Maryland for nearly 30 years.

Kuyateh had secured a legal order in U.S. immigration court that was intended to protect her from being sent back to Sierra Leone, where she said she and her family faced political persecution.

Despite that order, U.S. authorities deported her on Nov. 5, 2025, to Ghana, where she was held in a hotel for six days. According to interviews and legal filings reviewed by Reuters, Ghanaian authorities then forcibly returned her and dozens of other West Africans — including individuals from Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo — to their respective home countries.

Video posted on social media and verified by Kuyateh’s family shows uniformed men dragging her across a hotel floor as she cried, “I’m not going!” before being placed in a van, an image that sparked a broader conversation about the treatment of migrants under these arrangements.

Human rights advocates say the practice may violate international norms, particularly the prohibition on refoulement, which bars the return of individuals to countries where they could face torture or persecution.

Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, rejected the use of third countries like Ghana as a bypass of established protections.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that those sent to Ghana and other third countries were labeled “illegal aliens” with final removal orders, and insisted due process had been followed. DHS did not comment on the subsequent repatriations to home countries.

Ghana’s foreign ministry, interior ministry and immigration service did not respond to Reuters requests for comment on the deportees’ treatment or repatriation process. Officials in Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea also declined to comment.

Uganda’s long-serving President Yoweri Museveni is leading by a wide margin in early results from the country’s 2026 general election, according to official tallies released on Friday, January 16, 2026.

The Electoral Commission of Uganda announced that Museveni, 81, who has ruled the East African nation since 1986, secured approximately 68% of the vote with more than half of polling stations reporting.

His main challenger, opposition leader Bobi Wine (real name Robert Kyagulanyi), trailed with around 25%, while other candidates shared the remaining votes.

Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) also dominated parliamentary races, with preliminary figures showing the ruling party winning a commanding majority in the 556-seat legislature.

The results, while still preliminary, point to a decisive victory for the veteran leader in an election widely criticized by international observers for irregularities, voter intimidation, and restrictions on opposition campaigns.

The European Union and United States have already expressed concern over the electoral process, citing limited access for independent observers, internet shutdowns, and arrests of opposition figures in the lead-up to the January 15 vote.

Museveni’s supporters, however, hail the outcome as a reflection of widespread public support for his leadership and stability in a region often plagued by conflict.

Bobi Wine and his National Unity Platform (NUP) have rejected the early results, alleging widespread rigging and calling for a full investigation. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Wine declared:

“This is not an election result; it is a declaration of war on the will of the Ugandan people.”

The election comes at a critical time for Uganda, as Museveni seeks a seventh term amid economic pressures, youth unemployment, and regional security challenges.

A continued NRM dominance would extend his rule to nearly 45 years, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.