The top State Department official for the Middle East has returned to the region with stops planned in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia.   

Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf is currently in Jordan meeting with senior officials to “reinforce the US-Jordan relationship and our shared commitment to regional stability, security and prosperity,” according to a statement from the State Department.

From there, Leaf will travel to Egypt from March 18-20 where she is expected to discuss “bilateral priorities and cooperation on regional issues.” The top Middle East diplomat’s trip to Egypt, a longtime mediator between Israel and Palestinian militants, comes amid an uptick in Palestinian-Israeli violence.

Also likely on the agenda in Egypt is US support for a diplomatic resolution on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the giant hydropower dam that Egypt says is threatening its freshwater supply. In her meetings with Egyptian officials, Leaf is also expected to address the country’s politically motivated arrests and other human rights concerns.