Ethiopia Announces Completion of Its Grand Renaissance Dam

2025-07-06 08:07:40

(MENAFN) Ethiopia has officially completed its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a monumental hydroelectric project on the Blue Nile, with preparations now in full swing for its grand unveiling in September. The announcement, made on Thursday, marks a key milestone in the nation’s years-long pursuit of self-sufficiency in energy production and regional power distribution.

In a parliamentary session, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed that construction on the dam has concluded, calling the GERD a “symbol of regional cooperation and mutual benefit.” The dam’s completion is the culmination of a decade of work by Ethiopia to harness the Nile’s potential. Once operational, the GERD is projected to generate over 6,000 megawatts of electricity, positioning it as Africa's largest hydroelectric dam.

Addressing concerns raised by downstream countries Egypt and Sudan about the dam's potential effects on water flow, Abiy reassured both nations that the project poses no risk. “To our neighbors downstream—Egypt and Sudan—our message is clear: the Renaissance Dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity,” he said. “Egypt’s Aswan Dam has never lost a single liter of water due to the GERD.”

The prime minister also reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to equitable water usage and regional collaboration, inviting the governments and people of Egypt, Sudan, and other Nile Basin countries to join in celebrating the dam’s completion.

Since its inception in 2011, the GERD has been largely financed by Ethiopia, which has poured resources into the $4.2 billion project. However, the dam has been a point of contention, particularly between Ethiopia and Egypt, which fears it will limit the flow of the Nile, jeopardizing its water supply.

Despite numerous rounds of negotiations under the African Union and international mediation efforts, the three nations have yet to reach a binding agreement on the long-term management of the Nile’s water resources.

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