Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam : Inauguration
Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, hailing it as a “great achievement,” even as Egypt lodged a protest at the UN, calling it an existential threat to its water security.
- Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, a megadam built for power generation and regional energy trade.
- A unifying national project for Ethiopia, though geopolitically contested.
- Constructed on the Blue Nile River, about 30 km upstream from Sudan, in Guba, Ethiopia.
- Blue Nile contributes ~85% of Nile waters, making it geopolitically sensitive.
- Ethiopia initiated the project in 2011, seeing it as a symbol of self-reliance, development, and regional influence.
