ETHIOPIA OPENS MASSIVE NEW DAM
On September 9th, 2025, Ethiopia opened its new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Nearly $5 billion was spent on the dam. The dam is expected to provide electricity to millions of people, not only in Ethiopia but also in many surrounding African countries. However, the construction of the dam has upset Ethiopia’s neighbors, Egypt and Sudan, as the dam might cause a disruption in the Nile River, such as stopping the flow, or maybe flooding nations downstream.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a dam constructed on the Blue Nile River. Work on the dam initially began in 2011. The dam created a basin that can hold up to 19.5 trillion gallons of water, or 74 trillion liters. The dam can produce 5150 megawatts, placing it among the 20 most powerful dams in the world.
To the Ethiopian people, the dam is a great source of pride, as the money came from only Ethiopia and its citizens. The dam can provide more electricity to millions, as well as allowing the country to sell electricity to neighboring nations. During the opening ceremony, many leaders from other nations in Africa attended. According to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the dam shows that “Black people, can achieve anything we plan.”
However, Egypt and Sudan are not happy about the dam. This is because the Blue Nile River is a major feeder of the Nile. This means that Ethiopia could use its dam to limit water access, causing a drought. Additionally, Ethiopia could open the floodgates and cause heavy flooding in Egypt and Sudan. However, the prime minister of Ethiopia says that there is no need to worry, as the dam is “not a threat, but a shared opportunity.”
Many experts are debating the GERD’s harmfulness. Some say that Egypt is now forced to rely more on its own dam to recover some of the water lost through Ethiopia’s dam. However, others say that the dam is not a threat. They say that Ethiopia was careful in its preparation of the dam. They point out that Ethiopia filled the basin carefully, only adding water during the rainy seasons over five years. In fact, Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy says that the dam will actually help others. For example, Ethiopia could use its dam to release small amounts of water to assist other countries during drought. Additionally, Ethiopia will produce double the amount of energy it originally produced, allowing other countries access to electricity more easily.
Despite these benefits, the dam still worries Egypt and Sudan. Currently, they are pressuring Ethiopia to sign an agreement on how the dam will be operated.
Sources: https://newsforkids.net/articles/2025/09/10/egypt-sudan-worried-as-ethiopia-opens-massive-dam/