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Ethiopia completes controversial mega-dam on Blue Nile

WorldView · Rose Achieng · July 4, 2025
Ethiopia completes controversial mega-dam on Blue Nile
Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)
In Summary

Ethiopia views the project as essential to powering its economy and expanding electricity access across the country, where about 60% of the population still lives without reliable power.

Ethiopia has announced the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a massive hydroelectric project on the Blue Nile that has long been a point of contention with Egypt and Sudan over fears of reduced water flow downstream.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a statement confirming the finalization of the $4 billion dam, said the project is not meant to endanger neighbouring countries but to serve as a symbol of mutual benefit.
"To our neighbours downstream, Egypt and Sudan  our message is clear: the Renaissance Dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity," said Abiy.

The dam, launched in 2011, is now the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa.

It stretches more than a mile in length and stands 145 metres high in Ethiopia's northern highlands, where the Blue Nile originates and contributes around 85% of the Nile’s total flow.

Ethiopia views the project as essential to powering its economy and expanding electricity access across the country, where about 60% of the population still lives without reliable power."We believe in shared progress, shared energy, and shared water," Abiy added.

To ease tensions, the prime minister announced that both Egypt and Sudan would be invited to the dam's official inauguration ceremony in September.

His remarks come amid continued opposition from the two downstream nations, who fear the dam could impact their water security.

Earlier this week, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met and "stressed their rejection of any unilateral measures in the Blue Nile Basin", according to reports by AFP.

Egypt, which depends on the Nile for nearly all of its fresh water, has warned that even a slight reduction in the river’s flow, as little as 2%  could result in the loss of 200,000 acres of farmland. Sudan, also heavily reliant on the Nile, shares similar concerns.

In response, Abiy emphasized Ethiopia's commitment to dialogue and regional cooperation, stating that his government was "willing to engage constructively" with both nations. However, previous negotiations have failed to yield lasting agreements on how the dam's operations should be managed.

The GERD has become a major national symbol for Ethiopia and is expected to transform the country's energy landscape once fully operational, but its completion now sets the stage for renewed diplomatic efforts or further tensions  over the shared waters of the Nile.

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