The people and Government of Ethiopia are getting ready to celebrate the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and its inauguration with massive paraphernalia after 14 years of irreversible national struggle to light up the country and address the needs of millions of Ethiopians who depend on kerosene and firewood.
GERD, which is expected to generate 5,150 MW of hydroelectric power, has contributed 33% of the electric power generated in 2017 E.C., according to the Ethiopian Electric Power report.
Perched under the foot of the evergreen Guba Mountain and majestically positioned 20 km from the western border with Sudan, GERD stands as the biggest dam in Africa and the 7th largest in the world. Having now reached total completion, the peoples and government of Ethiopia have every reason to jubilate with Africa and herald the restoration of justice and the thrashing of colonial conspiracy, containment politics, and diplomacy.
Undoubtedly, Ethiopia is at the threshold of lighting up both Ethiopia and Africa with high-tech electrical power, changing the old rules of colonial conspiracy over control of the Nile.
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The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1929, a brainchild of Britain's version of the Scramble for Africa, barred all its colonies in East Africa from utilizing the Nile without consent from Egypt. Emboldened by this treaty, and without consulting upper Nile riparian countries, Egypt and Sudan entered into another treaty that prevented all other riparian countries from utilizing the Nile. In the most egoistic manner, Egypt secured 55 billion cubic meters of Nile water annually, while Sudan was allotted 18.5 billion cubic meters. With utter disregard for Ethiopia, which contributes 86% of the Nile waters, Egypt claimed a hydro-veto power--an outright miscarriage of justice against Ethiopia and other riparian states.
Today, however, Ethiopia is calling for shared development, joint ventures, and peace.
On March 23, 2015, Ethiopia, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, entered into an agreement with the ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to resolve disputes over the Blue Nile in accordance with the cardinal principles of international law governing the utilization of trans-boundary Rivers.
Earlier, on February 22, 1999, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)--comprising DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, Tanzania, and Uganda--was instituted. Following this initiative, a Cooperative Framework Agreement was drafted in 2010.
However, disagreement arose over Article 14(b), which stated "...not to significantly affect the internal security of any other Nile Basin State." All member states except Egypt and Sudan agreed to ratify this.
Instead, Egypt insisted on its own version, which stated "...not to adversely affect the water security and current uses and rights of any other Nile Basin State."
In 2015, a Joint Research Group of the three countries was formed but failed to agree on a general research framework. In September 2020, the United States suspended part of its economic assistance to Ethiopia, citing lack of sufficient progress in negotiations with Sudan and Egypt over GERD.
On June 19, 2021, Egypt requested the UNSC to intervene in the negotiation process, but the Council referred the case to the AU. On June 25-26, the three countries accepted the AU's role as mediator. However, Sudan and Egypt repeatedly withdrew and rejoined negotiations, seeking to pressure Ethiopia into signing a binding document that emphasized drought mitigation measures Ethiopia should undertake. Ethiopia, however, maintained that the DoP itself was sufficient to reach a final agreement.
Over several years, Egypt repeatedly took the issue of GERD to the UNSC--over ten times--falsely depicting it as a security threat. Its accusations were countered by Russia, China, and India, who consistently recognized Ethiopia's right to use its own resources to generate hydroelectric power.
From the outset, this flagship project was initiated in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, equitable resource sharing, and joint development. However, Egypt and Sudan remained tied to colonial-era treaties that ostracized, ignored, and undermined the rights of source countries to use their resources for national development.
A web of conspiracy, sabotage, and undermining Ethiopia's economic sovereignty was propagated from the Arab League to Europe and the UNSC, which debated GERD as an agenda item no less than 12 times in a single year.
Today, however, things are rapidly changing. The world has come to realize that Ethiopia is not building GERD out of selfish national interest, but for the benefit of Africa. Scientists across the globe are speculating on how GERD can positively impact Africa's socio-economic and political landscape. With completion near, the world will witness the tenacity and valor of the Ethiopian people and government in lighting up Ethiopia and Africa with an ultra-modern renewable power source.
The foundation of Africa's economic integration lies in renewable energy integration, of which GERD is a pioneering project built with advanced technological innovation.
Energy infrastructure is vital for integration efforts. Reliable power supply enables industrial growth, reduces production costs, and attracts investment--key elements for a competitive African economy.
GERD is not only a national project but a regional one with far-reaching implications for Africa's economic integration. It has the potential to enhance energy security in the Horn of Africa by supplying electricity to neighboring countries such as Sudan and beyond. This aligns with the African Union's vision of interconnected power systems and regional power pools. Already, Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya, and Tanzania are benefiting from cheap hydroelectricity.
By boosting Ethiopia's electricity exports, GERD could stimulate cross-border trade and economic interdependence, strengthening continental integration efforts.
Despite its promise, GERD faces challenges, especially political disputes over Nile water use. Egypt and Sudan have expressed concerns about water availability and dam operations, necessitating continued diplomacy and legal frameworks to ensure equitable and sustainable utilization.
Nonetheless, the opportunities are immense. GERD's success could drive industrialization in Ethiopia, improve regional energy access, and foster economic growth benefiting multiple countries. It also demonstrates how large infrastructure projects can promote continental integration by linking economies through shared resources and cooperation.
By enhancing energy supply and promoting regional cooperation, GERD exemplifies how strategic investments can support Africa's vision of unity and development. For GERD to fully realize its benefits, collaborative frameworks must be strengthened, ensuring that shared resources contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity across the continent. With a production capacity of 5,150 MW, electricity from GERD will strengthen the East African Power Pool (EAPP) and Africa's Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), while promoting cross-border industrial power value chains.
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GERD fosters a wider zone of peace in Africa by inspiring nations to commit to development and cooperation. It also sets a precedent for future dams across Africa. Through technological transfer, it accelerates economic integration among African countries.
Renewable power sharing could also lead to the establishment of a common African market in which resources are shared to accelerate continental development.
Sharing cheap, clean, and renewable energy will also promote environmental protection and the conservation of Africa's natural resources.
The construction of GERD serves as a training ground in hydro-engineering for African students eager to develop homegrown technologies for water management and sustainable use.
Experience gained by Ethiopian engineers in environmental and hydrological modeling tools, grid infrastructure for electricity distribution, and onsite training can be replicated in other East African countries, enabling them to build their own dams independently or in partnership with others.
Ethiopian universities can also establish academic partnerships with other African countries in hydropower engineering. Moreover, African countries can learn from Ethiopia's experience in integrating renewable energy sources--hydropower, wind, solar, and geothermal--into a single power management system.
In today's global trend, where conservative nationalism often challenges globalization, African leaders should come together to design self-reliant strategies, including financing major projects from local sources.
The construction and utilization of GERD, coupled with the sharing of hydroelectric power across regional power markets, embodies educational and technological diplomacy. Ethiopia can leverage this to foster African unity and promote wider innovation in science and technology.
