Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Horn News Hub).
Addis Ababa erupts in celebration as Ethiopia inaugurates GERD
Addis Ababa – Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Sunday, a project that has dominated national politics and regional diplomacy for more than a decade, triggering both jubilation at home and tension abroad.
Tens of thousands of people gathered at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa to mark the occasion, waving flags and chanting slogans in support of what has been described as the country’s most ambitious infrastructure project since the turn of the century. The rally featured speeches from senior officials, religious leaders and military representatives, alongside traditional music and dance performances.
Crowds chanted that while the GERD is now complete, Ethiopia’s next national goal is to secure access to the Red Sea. Many demonstrators invoked the port city of Assab, historically part of Ethiopia before Eritrea’s independence in 1993, as the country’s natural outlet to the sea. “We have finished GERD, the remaining task is Assab,” some in the crowd declared.
GERD is now complete, Ethiopia’s next national goal is to secure access to the Red Sea. Many demonstrators invoked the port city of Assab
The GERD, situated on the Blue Nile near the border with Sudan, has been under construction since 2011 and is now the largest hydroelectric dam in Africa. Ethiopian leaders have long hailed it as a symbol of sovereignty and a crucial step toward energy self-sufficiency in a country where millions still lack reliable access to electricity.
While the inauguration was greeted with national pride, the dam has been a source of tension with downstream nations, particularly Egypt, which fears the project could threaten its water security. Negotiations between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt have so far failed to resolve disputes over water sharing and dam operations.
Despite geopolitical challenges, the completion of the GERD is seen as a defining moment in Ethiopia’s modern history, reinforcing the popular slogan “Ethiopia Can Do It” that has echoed throughout the project’s development.
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