GERD (Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam) is not just an electric generating powerhouse for Ethiopia and Africa. It is a living symbol for tearing apart colonial treaties of 1929 and 1859 as well as the great conspiracy against Ethiopia on all fronts, including the UNSC and the Arab League. History is in the making, and justice is being restored for Egypt and Sudan as they are getting more water for their farmers.
GERD defied the global misinformation, blatant lies, and political phantasmagoria that the world has witnessed. The people of Ethiopia once again squared the victory of the Battle of Adwa by building GERD.
GERD is based on the following principles, which include African resources for Africans, equitable utilization of the waters of the Nile, and replacing awkward competition by cooperation and peace building. Indeed, GERD trumpets for the future of free, independent, and prosperous Africa, which helps to cut off the pillage of Africa in the energy sector.
GERD is a good school for self-reliance in which schoolchildren, cobblers on the street, shoeshine boys and girls, public servants, priests from all religious organizations, the private sector, universities, Ethiopians and citizens of Ethiopian origin, and all peoples of all occupations in the country had financed the project. The completion of GERD, in the author’s opinion, is a wake-up call for Africa to immediately strive for self-reliance on one’s own resources.
More than 20 associations engaged in fishing activities are now organized in the areas around the dam for generating income through fishery, catching tons of multiple types of fish for their food security and income generation. This shows that GERD has already proved itself to be an instrument for employment, particularly among the youth in the Benishangul Gumuz Region.
The transfer of knowledge on hydrology and hydro technology has acquired and is acquiring knowledge for technology is one of the most important results of the construction of GERD. Thousands of Ethiopian professionals and non-professionals can manage the construction of dams through foreign employment or local projects to be developed in the sector in the country.
GERD is not just about generating hydroelectric power for local and neighboring countries. By sharing clean and cheap hydroelectric power with the neighboring countries, Ethiopia is effectively implementing her foreign policy and diplomatic objectives in a more meaningful and practical manner. Sharing electric power from GERD and possibly other dams under construction in the country is based on the principles of peace and peaceful existence with African countries near and afar.
To what extent does the Dam promote the nation’s foreign policy and diplomatic objectives?
GERD is just like a messenger of peace and equitable use of the waters of the Blue Nile. It is a tool for peaceful cooperation and mutually beneficial undertaking to support the power needs of the countries of the Horn of Africa to energize their nascent manufacturing industries and other sectors of their economic development.
On the other hand, the experience gained in constructing GERD and the technologies thereof can establish good relationships and skill transfer to other African countries that may wish to build their own dams in the future. The institutes of higher learning and universities in these countries can gain experience from Ethiopian engineers and hydrologists in building their own capacity in science and technology.
The development of the tourism and hospitality sector will make GERD a center for mutual friendship among the peoples of many countries and tourists coming from different countries across the world.
GERD will be an excellent venue for promoting Ethiopia’s cultural and diplomatic relations among the youth across the world through educational tour exchange programs that could promote Ethiopia’s relations with countries and peoples of the world.
The Revised Foreign Policy and Diplomacy of Ethiopia, in section 3 of the policy document states that “Ethiopia will utilize her Trans boundary water resources in an equitable and mutually beneficial manner and will strive to maximize her benefits through strong foreign relations and objectives. “
This denotes that Ethiopia has never planned to use the waters of the Blue Nile only for herself but to share the energy resources with other African countries to promote economic integration and united action against climate change by using non fossil fuel energy resources like GERD.
As indicated earlier, by being an excellent venue for eco-tourism and hospitality center, GERD will be a major tourist attraction center in Africa in which visitors from Africa and the rest of the world can come together to promote peace and constructive dialogue.
Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan benefit more by cooperating to fulfill the 17 elements of SDGs which are directly or indirectly connected to the benefits they can secure from cooperating on equitable use of the Nile waters including designing areas of cooperation on joint utilization of resources from GERD.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has the potential to promote peaceful cooperation and regional development in the Nile Basin, despite the challenges and disputes surrounding its construction and operation. Here are some ways in which the GERD could contribute to peaceful cooperation.
The colonial forces used Ethiopia’s inability to use her own resources due to lack of fund and technical knowledge. They totally ignored Ethiopia’s right to use her own resources but also planned to control the sources of the Nile.
More than 60 percent of Ethiopians are still using either bio-fuel products or organic fuel sources to prepare their food and light up their houses. GERD is expected to improve the livelihood of most Ethiopians by providing t with renewable energy resources which will ease their burden of depending on firewood and other organic resources.
GERD will also introduce lakeside farming which will help farmers to produce more food in food stress periods and possible dry spell seasons. Crop production will enhance the capacity of the Benishangul Gumuz region to effectively feed the population.
Local maritime transport on the lake, which could cover more than 200 kms, will help to connect rural villages and enhance economic transactions among the local population. It could also be used to introduce water rowing sports, which the local population and tourists visiting the area can enjoy.
GERD is also an excellent location for conducting research on flora and fauna in the area. This is important because the area in and around the Guba Mountain range is located in a semi-arid ecology with varieties of vegetation and wild animal resources.
GERD, among other things, has successfully debunked the wanton propaganda of the triumvirate of lies on the construction of the dam. Egyptian media and affiliated Western media continuously misinformed the world on the progress of GERD.
At the initial stage, having conducted protracted lobbying to prevent Ethiopia from getting international funds to construct the dam but when the people and government of Ethiopia decided to fund the project from own resources and public funding system through bonds and donations, they started to lament that the construction of the dam is of low technical standard. Moreover, they started to spread unfounded lies that the dam will collapse due to earthquake and when earthquake occurred in the border area between Afar and Oromia regions, the quake from this area has reached GERD construction site which was is more than 600 kms to the west of the country. This dam was constructed after rigorous study by international and local experts in the country.
GERD is certainly part of power integration for African industries that suffer from a lack of an adequate and clean supply of energy. In this context, with her 12 river basins, four of which are Trans boundary, Ethiopia would be able to supply energy to African countries based on the provisions of Agenda 2063 and African economic integration, which constitute the center of Pan-Africanism.
GERD is Africa’s largest hydroelectric project and has the potential to significantly contribute to the continent’s economic development in multiple ways. GERD will generate over 6,450 MW of electricity, making Ethiopia a major power producer in Africa. It will expand electricity access to millions of people in Ethiopia and across the region, boosting industrialization and economic activities. Neighboring countries such as Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, and Djibouti stand to benefit from electricity exports followed by Tanzania in the near future. In this sense, Ethiopia plans to export surplus electricity to African countries, supporting regional trade and cooperation.
The dam aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which promotes continental integration through infrastructure development. It contributes to the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), ensuring stable and affordable electricity across the region. A reliable electricity supply from Ethiopia will stimulate industries, reduce production costs, and attract foreign investments. GERD has already created thousands of jobs during its construction and will continue to generate employment in energy and related sectors. The availability of power can boost small businesses and entrepreneurship, particularly in rural areas.
GERD provides clean and renewable energy, reducing Africa’s dependence on fossil fuels and contributing to global climate goals. It helps Ethiopia and other African countries mitigate the effects of climate change by promoting sustainable energy sources. While GERD is primarily an energy project, it regulates the flow of the Nile, reducing floods in Sudan and ensuring steady water availability for agriculture. Controlled water release can improve irrigation systems, leading to increased agricultural productivity. GERD serves as a model for other large-scale infrastructure projects in Africa, showcasing the potential for self-financed development. It encourages investment in energy, transport, and technology sectors across the continent.
With GERD and other clean renewable energy resources, Ethiopia, in spite of the propaganda and sections on the country’s economic development, the nation will set a living example for Africa.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY SOLOMON DIBABA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 3 APRIL 2025
