GERD Marks End of Geopolitical Stagnation: PM Abiy  

Addis Ababa, September1, 2025 (ENA) -- Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has turned the Abbay River's centuries-old dream and lament into a concrete achievement.

Social Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, Deacon Daniel Kibret, engaged in a discussion with the premier at Guba, the site of Ethiopia's significant project, GERD.

Prime Minister Abiy noted that for several hundred years, Ethiopians had the desire and made attempts to use the Abbay River for development.

However, he said these attempts were unsuccessful due to a lack of funds, limited technical capacity, an unfavorable geopolitical environment, and many other reasons.

"For the past several hundred years, Ethiopians have had the desire and made attempts to build a GERD-like project or something smaller. They have engaged with foreigners, corresponded with them, and tried to bring in experts," he said.

Abiy further stated that Ethiopia is currently in a period of transition from a state of geopolitical stagnation to a better standing. 

“We have rejected the geopolitical posturing of the past, as it did not suit us. It was not beneficial for our size, our scope, or the history of our people. For this reason, we have been working to achieve a better geopolitical standing, not just in the present, but also by moving both forward and backward in time. These favorable conditions have allowed the dreams, cries, and lamentations of generations to finally come to fruition and yield results.”

He described the ability to build the GERD using the river's resources as the result of a transition from geopolitical stagnation to a better standing.