By Jeffery Kazembe Batts
IG:@kazbatts
On Tuesday, September 9, Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam. With a combination of $5 billion raised from the Ethiopian people and technical expertise from Webuild, a global infrastructure development firm, the dam is part of Ethiopia’s long-term vision to provide electricity to its people and neighboring nations.
Among the guests attending the ceremony from the region were Somali President Hasan Sheikh, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and Kenyan President William Ruto. Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini also attended. With a giant Ethiopian flag in the background, air force planes flew overhead, speakers saluted the accomplishment, and cultural performers entertained as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed smiled and hugged attendees.
The 170-meter-tall and 1800-meter-wide GERD can generate energy equivalent to three medium-sized nuclear power plants. With its unprecedented engineering complexity, the dam is recognized by many as one of the world’s most advanced infrastructure projects to be completed recently. Since construction began in 2014, GERD has directly improved the quality of life in the surrounding area.
Medical facilities, a school, a bakery, sports facilities, and road infrastructure are now in the area. Over 25,000 people found employment. The skills learned, with the assistance of Webuild, position Ethiopians to lead in future construction projects. The inauguration of GERD has brought pride and hope to the masses of Ethiopians.
“We will have enough power to charge our electric vehicles from the new dam,” said bus driver Belay Tigabu in Addis Ababa. According to the World Bank, although there is a 94% electrification rate in urban areas, 55% of the overall population lacks access to electricity. Most Ethiopians live in the countryside.
During the ceremony, the South Sudanese and Kenyan leaders declared they are ready to import electricity into their countries. Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Motley was the only woman to speak at the ceremony.
She inspired the dignitaries from the podium, saying “The journey of a people who have remained proud throughout history… the people of Ethiopia stood tall and put their money where their mouth is… on behalf of Barbados, the Caribbean Community, the 6th region of the African Union, the diaspora… what is possible if we bound together and create a great pan-African movement… that the language of Marcus Garvey that we must emancipate ourselves from mental slavery… I pray today that when we leave here, we will see the awakening of Africa, the entire continent, and the diaspora.
Possibly playing both sides of the ongoing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia about the GERD, during his remarks, Somali President Sheikh saluted Ethiopia’s accomplishment by saying, “This is a victory not only for Ethiopia, but for the shared future of the region.” Nonetheless, although most in the region see the inauguration of GERD as part of a pan-African vision, Egypt remains disturbed.
Egypt has recently enhanced its military cooperation with Somalia, claiming that elevating relations between Egypt and Somalia to a strategic partnership is a pivotal step to strengthen the historical and political ties between the two nations. Although the stated intention for the military relationship is to stabilize Somalia, Ethiopia is skeptical about the military relationship. In late August, while lobbying countries in the region, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty “reaffirmed Egypt’s categorical rejection of unilateral measures that violate international law in the Eastern Nile Basin,”.
At the ceremony, in an outreach to Egypt and Sudan, Prime Minister Abiy emphasized, “To our Sudanese and Egyptian brothers, Ethiopia built the dam to prosper, to electrify the entire region, and to change the history of Black people. It is absolutely not to harm its brothers.”
With the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States, the ongoing horrors in Darfur, Sudan, the instability in Congo, and Trump’s disrespect of South Africa, much is happening in the world’s second-largest continent, Africa. African people and all people of goodwill must be informed and engaged in these happenings. The inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a milestone and could lead to more integration and development, especially for the Horn of Africa.