ADDIS ABABA

Ethiopia on Tuesday inaugurated the nearly $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, capping more than a decade of construction on the Blue Nile.

The dam, launched in 2011 by the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, is designed to generate 5,150 megawatts of electricity, placing it among the world’s largest hydropower plants. Ethiopian officials say it will ease chronic power shortages and allow electricity exports across East Africa.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the project as a national milestone and symbol of self-reliance, saying the vast reservoir, named Nigat Lake or “Dawn Lake,” marks the end of Ethiopia’s “era of begging.”

“This lake has brought with it a wealth greater than Ethiopia's GDP. This generation has accomplished a great deed with the Renaissance Dam. The era of begging has ended,” Abiy said.

Calling the GERD “the biggest mega project in the history of the Black people,” he said Ethiopia does not “seek harm,” but “shared prosperity.”

Kenyan President William Ruto said the African continent “can shape its own destiny. This is a Pan-African statement.” 

“The path to peace lies in unity, not isolation,” he added.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir called the project “a symbol of unity, sacrifice, and determination.”

He said the dam would bring strength and prosperity to the region.

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said all countries should be included and share the burden.

“Share resources, share brotherhood,” he urged.

Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh called the inauguration “a day of great victory.”

For 14 years, millions of ordinary Ethiopians, including farmers, daily laborers, students and civil servants, purchased bonds and made donations to help fund the project. Authorities say this public drive, alongside state financing, made the completion of the mega dam possible.

Egypt and Sudan, however, remain deeply concerned. Both countries argue Ethiopia filled and began operating the dam without a binding agreement on water sharing.

The two neighboring countries were absent from the inauguration ceremony.

Egypt, which says its nation relies on the Nile for nearly 90% of its water, fears the project could cut vital water inflow during drought years, while Sudan has also voiced alarm over dam safety and uncoordinated water releases.

Last week, Cairo and Khartoum issued a joint statement condemning Ethiopia’s "unilateral actions" and warning that the dam posed a continuous threat to stability.

Ethiopia asserts the project will ultimately benefit the region, including the downstream countries, by stabilizing flows and reducing flooding, but negotiations over its operation remain deadlocked.