Ethiopia has completed the Grand Renaissance Dam and plans to inaugurate it in September. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called it a “shared opportunity,” not a threat, and invited Egypt and Sudan to celebrate the milestone together.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Thursday that the long-disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a multibillion-dollar hydropower project on the Blue Nile, is now fully complete and scheduled for official inauguration in September.
Speaking before parliament, Abiy said, “The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is now complete, and we are preparing for its official inauguration.” The announcement marks a major milestone in a project that has been a central pillar of Ethiopia’s national development agenda but has also sparked years of tension with downstream neighbors, particularly Egypt and Sudan.
In a statement released by the Office of the Prime Minister, Ethiopia reaffirmed its commitment to regional cooperation and emphasized that the GERD poses no threat to its neighbors. “While there are those who believe it should be disrupted before that moment, we reaffirm our commitment: the dam will be inaugurated,” the statement read.
Addressing concerns from Egypt and Sudan, which rely heavily on Nile waters, the Ethiopian government sought to allay fears over water security. “The Renaissance Dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity. It is a symbol of regional cooperation and mutual benefit,” the statement added.
Highlighting that Egypt’s Aswan Dam has not lost a single litre of water due to GERD operations, Ethiopia emphasized its intention to ensure that the dam’s benefits extend across borders. “We believe in shared progress, shared energy, and shared water. Prosperity for one should mean prosperity for all.”
The Ethiopian government also extended an open invitation to the governments and peoples of Egypt, Sudan, and other Nile Basin nations to attend the inauguration ceremony in September, framing the event as a celebration not only of Ethiopian achievement but of regional unity and potential.
The GERD, Africa’s largest hydroelectric power project, has been under construction since 2011 and is expected to generate over 6,000 megawatts of electricity, significantly boosting Ethiopia’s energy capacity and economic prospects.
However, negotiations over water usage and dam operations have remained deadlocked for years, with Egypt warning that the project could severely reduce its share of Nile waters. Ethiopia has maintained that the dam will not harm downstream countries and has repeatedly called for dialogue and cooperation.
As Ethiopia prepares for the official launch of the dam, all eyes will be on whether the inauguration ushers in a new era of collaboration—or renewed diplomatic friction—in the Nile Basin.
