GERD Symbol of Africa’s Renewal, Path to Meet Electricity Needs of Millions

Addis Ababa, August 12, 2025 (ENA) -- The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) stands as a powerful symbol of Africa’s renewal and a transformative project poised to meet the electricity needs of millions, said Zadig Abraha, President of the African Leadership Excellence (AFLEX) Academy.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day training program for Ethiopian Electric Service management, Zadig emphasized that electricity generation and distribution are key drivers of Ethiopia’s development.

The training, organized by AFLEX Academy, covers topics including national, regional, and international electricity supply, leadership, patriotism, and public service.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in his address to parliament, announced the dam’s completion and confirmed preparations for its official inauguration in September 2025.

He described GERD as a blessing for downstream countries, stressing Ethiopia’s commitment to avoid causing harm and inviting Egypt, Sudan, and other Nile Basin nations to join in celebration.

Beyond its political significance, experts have noted GERD’s ecological and economic benefits and the dam will help protect the local ecosystem, transform barren lands into lush green areas, and boost biodiversity.

“Ethiopia has now become the powerhouse of East Africa’s electricity supply,” Zadig Abraha said, adding that institutions managing power generation and distribution play a decisive role in national progress.

He described such institutions as hallmarks of a modern state, bringing economic, technological, political, geographical, and diplomatic advantages.

Zadig further characterized electricity capacity as a bridge from poverty to prosperity, stressing GERD’s role in lifting citizens out of energy poverty, ensuring Ethiopia’s energy sovereignty, and strengthening regional cooperation under the foreign policy principle of “growing together.”

Calling the GERD a source of national pride and a beacon of the African Renaissance, he urged continued development and effective management of the power sector, noting the growing global and continental competition for energy resources.

It is known that Ethiopia is already exporting electricity to some neighboring countries and plans to expand further, with GERD central to its ambition of becoming a regional energy hub.