From: Yuri Tadesse, on behalf of myself as a concerned citizen and the People of Ethiopia

Subject: Regarding Your Unwelcome and Illegitimate Offer to Mediate on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

Mr. Trump,

Your letter dated January 16, 2024, addressed to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), has been noted. I write to you not as a representative of the Ethiopian government, but as a patriot of the nation that conceived, financed, and built the dam you now presume to mediate.

1. You Are Not Welcome Here
Your offer to “restart American mediation” is categorically declined. You are not the president of Ethiopia. You did not contribute a dime, an idea, or a single day of labor to the GERD. This dam was funded by the savings of Ethiopian farmers, the contributions of our global diaspora, and the collective will of 132 million people. It is not a bargaining chip for your Middle East alliances, nor a gift to Egypt in exchange for political favors. Ethiopia does not accept mediators who arrive with predetermined loyalties.

2. Your Falsehoods Amuse, They Do Not Impress
Your previous claim that the United States funded the GERD was not only demonstrably false, but deeply insulting to every Ethiopian who sacrificed to make this national project a reality. To Africa and the watching world, it was yet another example of your trademark disregard for truth—amusing, were it not so revealing of your disrespect for sovereignty. We built the GERD ourselves. We do not need your fictional financing, and we certainly do not need your fabricated mediation.

3. Egypt’s Water Crisis is of Its Own Making
Before Egypt lectures others on water security, it should address its own profound failures in water management. The High Aswan Dam loses more water to evaporation each year than the entire storage capacity of the GERD. Meanwhile, Egypt misallocates its scarce Nile water to sustain desert golf courses and vanity projects like Olympic cities in the oasis, while much of its population faces scarcity. Its jealousy of Ethiopia’s rise has driven it to hysteria, seeking to constrain Ethiopian development rather than manage its own waste and inefficiency.

4. The GERD Is an African Achievement, Not a Threat
The GERD is not just an Ethiopian project; it is a flagship of a rising Africa. Across the continent, people see it as a symbol of what is possible through self-reliance and vision. Egypt, however, sees Africa only when it needs something. The rest of the time, it identifies as an Arab nation, often looking down upon the continent it claims to belong to. This is precisely why Egypt refuses to allow the African Union—the rightful continental body—to mediate this matter. Instead, it runs to its “white masters” and Arab benefactors, spurning African solidarity in favor of foreign patronage.

5. Your “Regional Security” Narrative Is a Provocation and a Fiction
Framing the GERD as a “regional security issue” is a reckless provocation. This is a development project, not a weapon. Your implied threats of “military confrontation” are not only irresponsible but historically ignorant. Egypt knows better than to dare Ethiopia; history records not one, but seventeen defeats of Egyptian armies by Ethiopian forces. We know each other well. Your exaggeration of war is a diplomatic ploy, not a reflection of reality.

6. You Have No Moral or Diplomatic Standing Here
Your administration’s previous mediation attempt in 2020 was a biased failure. You openly sided with Egypt, issued ultimatums, and spread falsehoods about financing—a pattern that laid bare your hostility to Ethiopia’s progress. You invoke “international law,” yet your record reflects a consistent disregard for multilateral norms unless they serve your interests.

7. The Only Legitimate Forum Is the African Union
This matter belongs to Africa. The mediation you propose has only one rightful venue: the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa. It must involve all Nile Basin nations in a conversation led by Africans, for Africans. Washington—and you, Mr. Trump—must stay out. Africa does not need external saviors; it needs respect for its institutions and its right to solve its own challenges.

8. A Final Word to Africa
To my fellow Africans: the GERD is our symbol. It represents a continent that can build, achieve, and lead. We must stand together to denounce any disrespect toward the African Union and reject all external interference in our affairs. This is not just Ethiopia’s project—it is Africa’s pride. We did not build the GERD to please you, to fear you, or to negotiate its existence with you. We built it because it is our right. It is finished. It is operational. It is ours. Leave this matter to its rightful owners: the people of Africa.

Stay out of African affairs.

Signed,
Yuri Tadesse
Washington, DC–based Lobbyist and Investment Banker
Speaking on behalf of the Sovereign People of Ethiopia

_________

Yuri Tadesse is a seasoned entrepreneur and global consultant, known for his diverse expertise in international business, diplomacy, and economic development. With a career spanning decades, Mr. Tadesse has worked with numerous business and financial organizations across the globe, offering a unique perspective on structuring agreements that unite governments and businesses to achieve common goals. His work fosters cooperation that benefits all parties, particularly in challenging global markets.

Currently, Mr. Tadesse is the Founder, Senior Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer of Corcovado Investment & Advisory Group, Inc., a firm he created to help businesses and governments navigate complex international landscapes, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. In this role, he advises Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, and foreign governments, offering strategic counsel and arranging high-level engagements in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and the United States.

Mr. Tadesse is also a Senior Partner at AzulBlue Capital Partners, LLC, where he assists clients with managing investment portfolios, with a focus on capitalizing on opportunities in global markets. Prior to founding Corcovado, he was the Managing Director & Senior Vice President for International Business Development at GoodWorks International, LLC, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s reach in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

Served on the presidential campaign of former Vice President Al Gore, Secretary of State John Kerry, Senator Hillary Clinton, and the then-Senator Barack Obama.