South Ethiopia region joins nationwide celebrations of GERD inauguration, hailing unity and victory

Addis Ababa, September 18, 2025 (FMC) – Residents across South Ethiopia regional state held celebratory rallies this morning to mark the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

It is worth recalling that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officially inaugurated the GERD on September 9, 2025, at a ceremony attended by several African leaders and international dignitaries. The inauguration was hailed as a historic milestone in Ethiopia’s modern development journey.

Festivities have been taking place nationwide since the official inauguration of Ethiopia’s largest hydroelectric project earlier this month.

Citizens from all walks of life have poured into the streets to express their pride and joy in what has become the flagship achievement of the country’s development drive.

In South Ethiopia, large gatherings were held under the theme “We Did It in Unity.” Similar celebrations were also reported in Central Ethiopia and the Afar Region, where communities joined in nationwide expressions of solidarity and triumph.

Participants carried banners and chanted slogans that described the GERD as a symbol of Ethiopia’s renewal, a foundation of national unity, and a heritage for generations to come. They hailed the project as a triumph of leadership and public perseverance, affirming that it was built without bowing to external pressure.

Participants of the mass rallies stressed that the dam represented the collective will of Ethiopians, proving that what once seemed impossible had been achieved through determination and unity.

Rallying voices also portrayed the dam as the crown of national victory, the anchor of past struggles, and the herald of a brighter future. Many described it as both an identity and a national symbol—an accomplishment built with Ethiopia’s own resources that will stand as a testimony of solidarity and hard work.

The GERD, they declared, is the banner of the Abbay generation, the bridge across historical divides, and a message of resilience for the country’s continued development journey.

The celebrations concluded with renewed calls to carry the spirit of unity shown in building the dam into other national development projects, ensuring that Ethiopia’s collective achievement at the GERD becomes a model for future progress.