The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Officially Begins Operation: Energy for Ethiopia and Concerns for Egypt and Sudan

In a moment described as historic, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today, Tuesday, inaugurated the official operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, announcing the completion of a project that took more than 14 years of planning and construction, which has been a focal point of intense disputes between Ethiopia on one side, and Egypt and Sudan on the other.

The dam is located on the Blue Nile, one of the most important tributaries of the Nile River, with a total cost of about 5 billion dollars.

This project is considered the cornerstone of Ethiopia's ambitious plans to achieve economic development, as the country seeks to become a regional hub for electricity generation and export.

With the official opening of the dam today, the project enters the full operational phase, with a final goal of producing 5,150 megawatts of electricity, compared to the 750 megawatts currently produced by two turbines that were operated in previous phases.

In his speech during the inauguration ceremony, Abiy Ahmed reiterated that the Renaissance Dam "is not a threat to any party," but rather "a shared opportunity for development and cooperation." He added:

"We are only using a limited part of our water resources, and we have not taken what does not belong to us. The dam will not harm Egypt or Sudan, but will contribute to the stability of the region through joint development."

Despite the official completion of construction, the political and technical debate surrounding the dam remains ongoing, as the three countries (Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia) have not reached a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam, despite many years of negotiations under regional and international sponsorship.

Egypt relies almost entirely on the waters of the Nile River, with its water resources estimated at about 60 billion cubic meters annually, of which 55.5 billion cubic meters (about 90%) come from the Nile.

This water is a lifeline for Egypt, which faces a growing water scarcity.

As for Sudan, its water resources are about 38 billion cubic meters annually, of which 18.5 billion come from the Blue Nile, while the rest comes from other rivers, floods, and groundwater.

Ethiopia proudly announced that the Renaissance Dam project was fully financed from internal sources, with the Ethiopian Central Bank stating that 91% of the project's cost was provided through internal government loans, while the Ethiopian people contributed 9% through the purchase of bonds and donations, without any external financial support.

Abiy Ahmed stated that the energy generated from the dam will be used to expand the electricity network within the country and export the surplus to neighboring countries, supporting the process of regional integration in East Africa.

 "The Renaissance Dam is a source of energy and growth, not just for Ethiopia, but for the entire region," he expressed before the Ethiopian parliament last July.

The opening of the Renaissance Dam today closes a chapter of long construction, but it does not close the door on tensions between the three countries.

The question remains: Does the dam represent the beginning of a constructive river partnership... or a continuation of a strategic struggle for water in one of the most water-scarce regions of the world?