Ethiopia officially inaugurates operations at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

**Arab Sea_Agencies:** Ethiopia officially inaugurates the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) today, Tuesday, after 14 years of construction, making it the largest hydroelectric power dam in Africa. The GERD project will provide power to millions of Ethiopians while exacerbating the dispute with Egypt and Sudan. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that Ethiopia will use the energy to improve electricity access for citizens, stressing that the dam does not pose a threat to the downstream countries. Egypt and Sudan fear that the GERD will reduce water supplies during periods of drought and lead to the construction of other dams upstream, at a time when Egypt said that the construction of the dam violates water treaties and poses a threat to its existence. Ethiopia, the second most populous country on the African continent with a population of 120 million, sees the $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, built on a tributary of the Nile River, as essential to its economic development ambitions. It is noteworthy that the construction of the dam began in 2011, and power generation is supposed to eventually rise to 5,150 megawatts from the 750 megawatts produced by two turbines that are already operating.