US Suspends Aid to Ethiopia over Dispute on GERD File

On Wednesday, the U.S. decided to suspend aid to Ethiopia over the latter's decision to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) without reaching an agreement with Egypt and Sudan on how the reservoir will be managed.

The Trump administration is increasingly concerned about the lack of progress on trilateral negotiations, according to a State Department official who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the matter and asked not to be identified.

"The U.S. government is working with the three countries to facilitate an agreement that balances their interests," the official said.

Egypt, which depends on the Nile for most of its fresh-water needs, is opposed to any development it says will impact the flow downstream -- a position echoed by Sudan.

Ethiopia is developing a 6,000-megawatt power plant at the dam, and has asserted a right to use the resource for its development.