PM Abiy calls for unity amid Egypt, Sudan tensions as Ethiopia completes grand dam construction
Prime Minister Abiy emphasised that Ethiopia’s development goals will not undermine the interests of its downstream neighbours.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced in parliament on Thursday that the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is now officially complete, paving the way for its inauguration — a move likely to revive tensions with Egypt and Sudan over Nile water rights.
"The dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity," Abiy said, striking a conciliatory tone while insisting that Ethiopia's ambitions will not come at the expense of its downstream neighbours.
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The $4.2 billion project—largely self-financed since construction began in 2011—has long been a diplomatic flashpoint in the Nile Basin.
GERD is poised to generate over 6,000 megawatts of electricity, making it Africa's largest hydroelectric project and a cornerstone of Ethiopia's energy and development agenda.
Abiy hailed the completion as a "symbol of regional cooperation and mutual benefit," inviting Egypt, Sudan, and other Nile Basin countries to join Addis Ababa in commemorating the milestone.
Egypt and Sudan remain deeply uneasy.
Egypt, which depends on the Nile for over 90 per cent of its water, has repeatedly warned that GERD could reduce vital water flows.
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