Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, declared Thursday that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be inaugurated within the next six months.
This announcement escalates tensions with Egypt and Sudan, downstream nations reliant on the Nile.
Abiy stated the inauguration will occur around September, marking a “historic event.”
The $4.2 billion GERD, located on the Blue Nile, has already begun generating electricity since February 2022.
Upon completion, it will become Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam, producing over 5,000 megawatts.
This expansion is crucial for Ethiopia’s electrification efforts, doubling its current power output.
Egypt and Sudan fear the dam’s operation without a binding agreement will severely impact their water access.
Egypt, heavily dependent on the Nile, views the GERD as an existential threat.
Sudan’s position remains complex, complicated by its ongoing civil war.
Ethiopia maintains the dam will not diminish downstream water flow.