Africa’s largest and perhaps most controversial dam will be inaugurated tomorrow (Sept. 9). The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will deliver electricity to tens of millions of people but downstream, Egypt views it as an “existential threat."

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia is poised to officially open the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a nearly two-kilometre-long structure built across the Blue Nile. The dam, largely funded by Ethiopian citizens through bonds and cash contributions, represents a significant achievement for the country, where only about half the population has access to electricity. However, the project has generated ongoing disputes with Egypt and Sudan, who have not reached an agreement with Ethiopia on the dam's operation, particularly during droughts. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for the majority of its fresh water, has voiced concerns about water security and the dam's location in a seismically active area. 

Despite proposals from international scientists to manage water levels and maintain the Aswan High Dam's critical threshold, no consensus has been reached. Ethiopia's government maintains that the dam will not harm downstream countries and insists on the right to utilize its resources. The inauguration comes at a time of domestic challenges in Ethiopia, including regional instability, high unemployment, and inflation.

Ethiopia set to inaugurate mega dam

Sitting nearly two kilometers long across the Blue Nile, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a source of pride for Ethiopians. Through bonds and cash contributions, they covered most of the $4 billion price tag. But downstream, Sudan and Egypt have so far failed to reach agreement with Ethiopia about how the dam will operate, particularly in times of drought. Egypt is worried about the effect on the Aswan Dam. An international team of scientists has a solution, but it's not been taken up. We fixed a level for the Aswan High Dam. And we said that, OK, you can construct any dams you want and operate it in any way you want, as long as that level of the Aswan High Dam is maintained. And it's the critical level below which the things become problematic for Egypt. Egypt relies on the Nile for 97% of its fresh water. And Egypt is also concerned about the dam being built in an area of seismic activity. Powerless to influence the running of the dam, Egypt and Sudan have been left shouting from the sidelines, most recently issuing a statement. Both parties agreed that the Ethiopian dam has serious repercussions for downstream countries, especially with regard to the serious risks resulting from Ethiopia's unilateral steps to fill and operate the dam. Ethiopia must adjust its policy in the eastern Nile basin to restore cooperation between the basin countries. Ethiopia's prime minister insists downstream countries have nothing to worry about. If you examine the dams in Sudan and Egypt, you'll see they still hold sufficient water. Not a single liter has been reduced. We have no desire to put them in danger. At the same time, this does not mean we must sacrifice our own interests. On the contrary, we must use our own resources wisely while ensuring others are not harmed. Ethiopia's government wants the dam, set to be inaugurated on Tuesday, to transform the lives of millions of its citizens. Only around half the population of 132 million people have access to electricity. With less than a year to go before elections here, the timing of the official opening of the dam might be seen as a welcome diversion for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. It's one of the rare unifying events for Ethiopians in a country struggling with armed conflict or instability in three regions, as well as high unemployment and high inflation. Bernard Smith, Al Jazeera, Addis Ababa.

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