Ethiopian PM Abiy Announces Completion of Grand Renaissance Dam, Invites Egypt and Sudan to Inauguration

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has officially announced the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), setting the stage for its much-anticipated inauguration in September.

In a bold and conciliatory message delivered on Thursday, Abiy extended an olive branch to Egypt and Sudan, the two downstream nations that have long expressed concerns about the dam’s impact on Nile water flow.

“The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is now complete, and we are preparing for its official inauguration,” the Prime Minister declared, reaffirming Addis Ababa’s unwavering resolve to proceed with the commissioning of Africa’s largest hydropower project.

“While there are those who believe it should be disrupted before that moment, we reaffirm our commitment: the dam will be inaugurated.”

In a notable shift in diplomatic tone, Abiy described the GERD not as a geopolitical flashpoint, but as a beacon of regional development.

“To our neighbours downstream—Egypt and Sudan—our message is clear: the Renaissance Dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity,” he said. “It is a symbol of regional cooperation and mutual benefit.”

Tensions over the $4.2 billion dam have strained relations between Ethiopia and Egypt for more than a decade, with Cairo fearing the project could imperil its vital share of Nile waters.

Sudan, too, has raised concerns about the dam’s safety and its potential impact on downstream infrastructure.

However, Abiy sought to allay these fears, stating, “Egypt’s Aswan Dam has never lost a single litre of water due to the GERD.

Likewise, Ethiopia remains committed to ensuring that our growth does not come at the expense of our Egyptian and Sudanese brothers and sisters.”

He emphasized Ethiopia’s belief in “shared progress, shared energy, and shared water,” positioning the GERD as a transformative project that will generate electricity not only for Ethiopia but also for the wider Horn of Africa.

“Prosperity for one should mean prosperity for all,” the Prime Minister said, extending “an open invitation to the governments and peoples of Egypt, Sudan, and all Nile Basin nations to join us in celebrating this historic milestone—Ethiopia’s Renaissance—in September.”

The GERD, which spans the Blue Nile near the Sudanese border, is expected to produce over 6,000 megawatts of electricity, doubling Ethiopia’s electricity generation capacity and potentially transforming the country into a power exporter to the region.