Ethiopia has inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a project that has provoked intense regional debates for over a decade.

“This dam is a testament to our commitment to harnessing Ethiopia’s resources for the benefit of our people and the region,” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said.

The dam would stabilize river flows, reduce flooding, and promote economic integration without harming Egypt or Sudan, he added.

What’s known about the GERD:

🔴Construction time: 14 years of intense debate and development

🔴Size and power: At 145 meters tall and with a generation capacity of 6,450 MW, it’s a behemoth on the Blue Nile

🔴Controversy and tension: The dam has been at the center of a 14-year battle with Egypt and Sudan, who are concerned about their water supplies:

🇪🇬Egypt relies on the Nile for 90% of its freshwater and fears the GERD’s reservoir will reduce flow downstream, threatening its agricultural and drinking water needs

🇪🇹Ethiopia insists it won’t harm Egypt’s supply.

Multiple rounds of talks mediated by the US, UN and African Union have failed to reach a binding agreement.

Today’s inauguration ceremony was attended by the leaders of Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia and South Sudan.