(MENAFN) Ethiopia has announced the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a massive hydropower project on the Blue Nile that has long been a source of tension with Egypt and Sudan. The multibillion-dollar dam, which has been under construction since 2011, is set to be officially inaugurated in September, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

With a generating capacity of 5.15 gigawatts, GERD is now Africa’s largest hydroelectric facility. Ethiopian officials emphasize that the dam is meant to enhance regional energy access and describe it as a “symbol of cooperation and mutual benefit.” They argue it will provide electricity not only to Ethiopia but also to neighboring nations.

However, Egypt and Sudan have consistently expressed alarm over the dam’s potential to reduce vital Nile River water flows. The Nile accounts for roughly 97% of Egypt’s freshwater supply, and both Cairo and Khartoum worry that water retention at the GERD site could severely impact their agriculture and water security.

In September, Egypt submitted a complaint to the UN Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of unilaterally moving forward with the project, especially after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed the dam’s fifth filling phase.

Amid the ongoing dispute, Ethiopia has been advocating for a regional water-sharing arrangement. In October, Abiy announced the activation of the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), which aims to create a Nile River Basin Commission. The treaty has been signed by several upstream countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, and South Sudan.

Although South Sudan’s recent ratification brings the agreement closer to implementation, Egypt and Sudan have refused to join, calling the treaty flawed and unrepresentative of all basin states.

Egypt has warned that even a small decrease in Nile water could have catastrophic effects, including the loss of 200,000 acres of farmland. Sudan has echoed these concerns, citing the river’s critical role in sustaining its agriculture sector.

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