re posted from AFRICA AND THE WORLD
The Legacy & Vision of The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
Lawrence Freeman standing next to Eng. Ephrem Kiden on his right, and Tesfahun Gobezay, State Min of Communications, on his left in May 2025, in front of the nearly completed GERD
July 24, 2025
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: A Legacy of Shared Vision & Unified Purpose of Four Ethiopian Leaders
By Dr Birhanu Lenjiso, Oromiya, Ethiopia
1. Introduction
The Nile River, the world’s longest river stretching over 6,650 kilometers, is a lifeline for eleven riparian states, with Ethiopia contributing approximately 85% of its waters through the Blue Nile and other tributaries. Despite this significant contribution, Ethiopia’s access to Nile waters has been curtailed by colonial-era agreements, notably the 1929 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty and the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement, which allocated the majority of Nile waters to Egypt and Sudan while sidelining upstream states like Ethiopia. The treaties that perpetuated an inequitable status quo, prompted Ethiopia to pursue the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a means to reclaim its rightful share of the Nile’s resources.
Initiated in 2011, the GERD is a 5,150 megawatt MW hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, near the Ethiopian-Sudanese border. Beyond its technical specifications, the GERD embodies Ethiopia’s aspirations for energy security, economic development, and regional influence. The project’s realization is a testament to the vision and resilience of four Ethiopian leaders: Emperor Haile Selassie, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Each leader navigated unique challenges, financial constraints, political instability, and diplomatic pressures, to advance the GERD, transforming it into a symbol of Ethiopian unity, sovereignty, and prosperity.
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