BENISHANGUL-GUMUZ, ETHIOPIA – In a historic ceremony witnessed by African leaders and hailed as a milestone for the continent, Ethiopia officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Saturday, realizing a generations-old dream to harness the power of the Blue Nile.
The $5 billion hydroelectric project, now Africa’s largest, is set to generate a monumental 5,000 MW of clean energy, promising to power millions of homes, fuel industrial growth, and export electricity to neighboring nations.
The inauguration, attended by Heads of State and Government, was a moment of immense national pride. In a comprehensive address, Ethiopian officials paid tribute to the decades of effort and sacrifice that brought the project to fruition.
The dam was celebrated not just as an engineering feat but as a symbol of African determination and unity. “This is power for homes, industries, and nations. A symbol of what determination and leadership can achieve,” a statement read, congratulating the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
The ceremony served as a powerful acknowledgment of the collective national effort. Tributes were paid to:
· Historical Leaders: From Emperor Haile Selassie’s initial studies to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s launch of the project in 2011 and his innovative self-financing model, and PM Hailemariam Desalegn’s stewardship of critical construction phases.
· Current Leadership: PM Abiy Ahmed was credited for restructuring stalled contracts, overcoming bottlenecks, and overseeing the first generation of power in 2022.
· The Engineers: The late Eng. Simegnew Bekele, hailed as the project’s courageous public face, and Eng. Kifle Horo’s team that drove the final push to completion.
· The Negotiators: Diplomats and experts who engaged in complex talks with downstream nations.
· The People: The 25,000-30,000 workers on site, and the millions of Ethiopians and members of the diaspora who purchased bonds and advocated for the project.
“The GERD stands not only as an engineering marvel but as a symbol of overcoming adversity through perseverance,” officials stated, emphasizing that it was “built with Ethiopian sweat and blood.”
While a source of national celebration, the GERD has been a point of regional discussion involving downstream countries Egypt and Sudan. Ethiopia has consistently stated that the dam is a hydroelectric project that will also provide regional benefits like reduced siltation and increased water flow consistency.
As the turbines began to spin, the message from the inauguration was clear: a new chapter of energy security, economic potential, and pan-African cooperation has begun. “Our grandparents dreamed it,” the tribute concluded. “We built it. Our children will carry it forward.”
