Ethiopia has appointed former Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Seleshi Bekele as a new ambassador to the United States, in a move aimed to counter Egyptian efforts to draw US support in its favor in the yearslong dispute with Addis Ababa over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Bekele, a former chief negotiator in the GERD talks with Egypt and Sudan, presented May 6 a copy of his credentials to the US Department of State as his country’s new ambassador. “I will now serve as appointed Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chief of Mission,” Bekele tweeted.

He said improving Ethiopian-US relations will be his main task during his capacity as the Horn of Africa country’s chief diplomat in Washington. “I, together with the diplomatic staff of the mission, look forward to execute the honored duties and responsibilities of strengthening diplomatic relation of the two great nations,” the ambassador-designate added.

Analysts see Bekele’s appointment as an effort by Addis Ababa to promote its viewpoint regarding the GERD dispute with Egypt and Sudan as well as the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.