Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam is "very important and critical" to US President Donald Trump, his top adviser Massad Boulos said.

The US president's top adviser on Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific told Saudi Arabia's Al Arabiya that Trump had been pushing for the dam since his first term in office.

Egypt, which has been pushing for a binding agreement with Sudan on the dam's water filling and management, citing concerns that the Grand Renaissance Dam will affect the amount of water it receives from the Nile River, has repeatedly called on the United States to intervene in the matter.

President Trump, in his first term in office, has been known to try to reach an agreement by bringing together high-ranking officials from the two countries and has made controversial comments on the dam at various times.

The presidential advisor said that the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam issue is of Trump's attention and is an important agenda item.

"It is known that President Trump made efforts to reach an agreement during his first term in office," he said, recalling that a technical agreement between the two countries was about to be signed but was thwarted due to certain problems.