Davos: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed gratitude Wednesday to US President Donald Trump for supporting Egypt on the Nile water issue, while also urging Washington to maintain its role in efforts to end the war in Gaza. Speaking during a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Sisi said he appreciated the US president's backing of Egypt's position on water security.
According to Anadolu Agency, Trump stated on January 16 that the United States was ready to restart mediation efforts between Egypt and Ethiopia over the long-running dispute on the Nile River. The river, which spans approximately 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles) in length, is shared by eleven countries, including Egypt and Ethiopia. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a project inaugurated on September 9, 2025, by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, has been contentious among downstream nations Egypt and Sudan, who have been advocating for a legally binding agreement on its operation and filling.
Separately, Sisi called on Trump to continue sponsoring his plan related to Gaza, emphasizing Egypt's dedication to ensuring the success of efforts aimed at ending the conflict. Sisi credited Trump's intervention with helping to halt the Israeli actions, stating that the war in Gaza would not have stopped without Trump's efforts. He underscored Egypt's desire for continued US engagement until the plan is fully realized.
Additionally, the Egyptian president congratulated Trump on 'a successful year of achievements' and announced Egypt's willingness to participate in the Board of Peace under Trump's leadership. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry confirmed Cairo's acceptance of Trump's invitation for Sisi to join the board, pending the completion of necessary legal and constitutional procedures.
The establishment of the board aligns with the launch of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which ended the war in Gaza that resulted in over 71,500 deaths and injured more than 171,300 individuals since October 2023. This initiative forms part of a 20-point plan proposed by Trump and adopted by the UN Security Council under Resolution 2803 in November 2025.