US President Donald Trump met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, pledging to resume mediation in the Egypt-Ethiopia dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Trump described the project as a dangerous issue blocking the Nile River, emphasizing his intent to bring the parties together for a deal. Al-Sisi thanked Trump for his support, calling it an existential issue for Egypt.
In the meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Trump expressed his desire to restart talks on the GERD, stating: “I’m going to try bringing the two of you together, see if we can make a deal.” He added that he intended to “get that back on track” after previous efforts in his first term went unfinished. Trump described the dam as “massive” and asserted that the United States financed the project, noting that “somebody’s not getting the water that they are supposed to get.”
Al-Sisi thanked Trump, describing the issue as “existential” for Egypt and saying US involvement could open “new horizons” for a breakthrough. He also praised Trump’s role in the Gaza conflict, telling reporters: “I said it before, I reiterate it now… but for President Trump, we wouldn’t have reached an agreement on Gaza.” Al-Sisi urged full implementation of the “second phase” of the Gaza plan and announced the formation of a National Palestinian Committee to manage the territory.
Egypt confirmed its acceptance of an invitation to join the “Board of Peace,” also called the “Council of Peace,” to support efforts in settling conflicts, including overseeing Palestinian technocrats and Gaza’s reconstruction. The White House selected Egyptian General Intelligence chief Hassan Rashad for the board’s sub-agency. Among 60 nations, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain accepted, while Sweden, Norway, and France rejected, with French President Emmanuel Macron voicing concerns that the project exceeds Gaza’s transitional governance and undermines the UN framework.
The leaders discussed joint efforts to end the war in Sudan under the “Quartet” framework, emphasizing an immediate humanitarian truce. On Lebanon, Al-Sisi stressed the US role in halting sovereignty violations to enable Lebanese institutions to exercise authority. Al-Sisi expressed a desire to upgrade bilateral ties to a “comprehensive strategic partnership” and proposed hosting the second Egyptian-American Economic Forum in 2026. Trump called Al-Sisi a “great leader” and “strong guy,” reflecting that he was “pretty close to a deal” on the dam before leaving office.
The meeting was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and General Intelligence Director Hassan Rashad, alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. This encounter occurred during Al-Sisi’s first Davos appearance in over a decade, where he highlighted Egypt’s stabilization agenda and economic opportunities.
