After 14 years, Ethiopia is launching its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Tuesday, September 9 2025.
The mega hydropower dam expected to double the country’s power generation.
GERD construction began in 2011 and is expected to generate more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity and potentially transform Ethiopia into Africa’s largest power exporter.
The Grand Renaissance Dam situated nearly 2 kilometers across where the Blue Nile cut towards Sudan has caused a stir between Addis Ababa and its neighbors over their water security.
GERD affects 11 countries which share the waters of the Nile including Egypt, Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya.
Egypt and Sudan have registered their opposition to the construction of the dam arguing it was a “threat to their waters.”
Ethiopia has dismissed the claims, stating it has adhered to the 2015 Declaration of Principles signed by the three nations before the construction.
The Dam was completed with over $4billion, mainly funded by Ethiopians themselves with funds sourced from government bonds and contributions from nationals in the diaspora.
For Ethiopians, the dam, constructed without external financial support, is a symbol of national unity and pride.
