Ethiopia will open Mega-Dam despite the warnings of Sudan and Egypt on the Nile water supplies

Johannesburg – The largest hydroelectric dam in Africa, the Dam of the Renaissance of the Great Ethiopia (Gerd), On The Blue Nile is scheduled to open the big fanfare on Ethiopia on Tuesday. The $ 5 billion dam project has been a union force for Ethiopians both at home and abroad, which have helped finance the project.

The calls of funds had been extinguished since the project was launched in 2011, and the government also issued bonds to finance the construction of the 475 feet tall structure of one mile long.

However, the celebrations in Ethiopia will not extend below the powerful river to the neighbor Sudan or Egypt, which have warned that the dam could bring serious consequences.

After years of failed conversations, there was still no agreement instead one day before the dam began operations on how water flows through the gigantic structure to guarantee adequate supplies in Egypt and Sudan.

Only 54% of the approximately 120 million inhabitants of Ethiopia have access to reliable power, and Ethiopian officials have said that the capacity dam of 5,150 megawatts is expected to double the national electricity generation capacity.

The opposition of Egypt and Sudan to the dam

In a joint statement last week, Egypt and Sudan said the dam “violated international law and would cause serious consequences for the two later countries.”

Both nations have said that they now consider that water security is a national security concern.

The Blue Nile flows from Ethiopia to Jartum, capital of Sudan, where he joins the white Nile before flowing to Egypt as the Nile.

The blue Nile, which will soon flow through the new dam, supplies more than 80% of the water for the combined river system.

The government of Egypt, pointing out that more than 90% of the country is deserted, has said that most of its population lives throughout the Nile, and has generated concern for years that the dam will reduce the flow of water and cause scarcity, and officials have warned that they will take measures in response if that happens.

“Anyone who imagines that Egypt will turn a blind eye to an existential threat to their water safety is wrong,” said Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in August, describing him as a possible “existential” threat to his country.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and take all the measures provided under international law to safeguard the existential resources of our people,” said El-Sisi.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, has been widely cited by saying that the dam will benefit everyone in the region, through energy purchase agreements and flood control.

“For our neighbors downstream, Egypt and Sudan, our message is clear: the Renaissance dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity. It is a symbol of regional cooperation and mutual benefit. Energy and development will generate to raise not only Ethiopia, but the entire region,” he said in the comments of July 3.

In a publication on social networks on September 2, Abiy called to see the dam completed “a historical milestone in Ethiopia”, and added that for him it was personally a “final prayer and it was my last wish.”

Trump’s criticism and the United States position on Ge

The United States government has long tried to balance the concerns and needs of the countries of the region when it comes to the DAM project. During the Biden administration in 2024, the then Undersecretary of State for the State of State, Molly Phee, told reporters that the United States had “underlined our recognition of the” water needs of Egypt “and the importance of the Nile for Egypt”, together with “Sudan’s concerns about the operations and security of dams, and the understanding development needs of Ethiopia.”

She said that the United States was “committed to helping all these parties to discuss how agreements related to water management, use and access can contribute to safety and stability” in the region, and said the administration remained “ready to participate diplomatically in support of such efforts.”

More recently, President Trump has criticized the dam, claiming several times without offering evidence or clarifications, more recently at the end of July, that the project was “stupidly” financed “with the money from the United States, in large part”, and specifically observing Egypt ‘concerns about its Nile water supply.

The coordination agency established by the Government of Ethiopia to increase the funds for the project has vehemently denied Mr. Trump’s claims, insisting that the dam was built “without any foreign aid.”

Ethiopia will be the host of the Second Climate Summit of Africa as of Monday, and Abiy has expressed the hope that African leaders who attend the summit also attend the celebrations of the Grand Inauguration of the Green on Tuesday.

The dam is expected to generate $ 1 billion in revenues annually, according to Abiy, who has promised that money will help finance other infrastructure projects.

• Africa
• Sudan
• Water conservation
• Ethiopia
• Egypt
• Nile River