Addis Ababa, July 28, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy Engineer Habtamu Itefa said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has crushed decades-long narratives aimed at blocking Ethiopia’s development of Abbay (Blue Nile), stressing that scientific facts and the dam’s actual benefits have disproved repeated allegations against the project.
In an exclusive interview with Fana Media Corporation (FMC), Engineer Habtamu said GERD, which Ethiopia successfully inaugurated nearly a year ago, represents more than a hydropower project, describing it as a symbol of national unity and a milestone demonstrating Africa’s capacity to achieve major development projects through its own resources.
He said Ethiopia considers GERD a historic achievement similar in significance to Adwa, noting that the project has become an example of African self-reliance and a symbol of what African countries can accomplish through determination and collective effort.
The minister said Ethiopia constructed the dam through its own financing, labor force, professionals and domestic resources, without relying on contributions from international partners or donors.
“Ethiopia has been building this dam by our own finance, by our own force, by our labor, our professionals, and our local finance,” Engineer Habtamu said, emphasizing that GERD reflects Ethiopia’s ability to pursue strategic development independently.
He said the primary purpose of GERD is electricity generation, with an installed capacity of 5.15 gigawatts, which has more than doubled Ethiopia’s previous power generation capacity.
According to the minister, the dam has already contributed to expanded electrification and improved access to electricity in Ethiopia, supporting better living conditions and creating wider development opportunities.
Engineer Habtamu said opposition and allegations surrounding GERD have continued despite the project’s development-focused objectives, particularly from Egypt, which he said has repeatedly created narratives portraying the dam as harmful to downstream countries.
“It is unfortunate that our brothers from Egypt are opposing what Ethiopia has been doing,” he said, arguing that claims suggesting GERD threatens downstream countries do not reflect reality.
The minister said accusations that GERD damages the interests of Egypt and Sudan contradict facts observed after the dam’s construction.
He pointed to flood-related benefits in Sudan, saying that previous international warnings about severe flooding in Sudan were no longer heard after GERD became operational.
“Because of building of this dam, we didn’t hear any problem with the flood in Sudan,” he said, adding that Ethiopia believes the project has helped protect lives in downstream countries.
Engineer Habtamu also rejected claims that GERD reduces water availability downstream, saying such allegations ignore scientific realities, including rainfall variations affecting Abbay (Blue Nile) flows.
He explained that Ethiopia’s highlands are the source of the majority of water flowing through the Abbay (Blue Nile), which later joins the wider Nile system in Sudan, and that natural fluctuations in rainfall determine annual water availability.
The minister said Ethiopia has maintained hydrological records for about 90 years along the Abbay and that historical data shows significant variations in annual flows, including periods when water levels were naturally much lower due to rainfall conditions.
He stressed that reduced rainfall in the Ethiopian highlands directly affects inflow into GERD, meaning claims that Ethiopia is deliberately reducing downstream water availability are scientifically unfounded.
Engineer Habtamu said GERD’s achievements have demonstrated a new reality in Abbay development, challenging long-standing narratives that sought to prevent Ethiopia from utilizing its own water resources for development.
He reiterated Ethiopia’s position that the Abbay has enough potential to benefit all basin countries if managed through cooperation, saying regional collaboration remains the sustainable path for shared prosperity.