Ethiopians residing in Lebanon celebrated the completion of their country’s mega power project on Sept. 7/2025 at their Consulate General Office in Hadath. Ethiopia announced, in July 2025, the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a hydro-electric power project that it has been building over the Abbay River, known internationally as the Blue Nile, and its formal inauguration to be held on September 9, 2025.
The project was said to have been entirely financed through domestic fundraising to symbolize Ethiopia’s independence and ability to harness its own resources to foster national development. Ethiopians from all walks of life (farmers, police and army members, civil servants, teachers, students, street vendors, shoe polishers, and the Ethiopia diaspora) have contributed to the Project. Consequently, the government expressed that all Ethiopians who contributed to making this national project a reality could perhaps stand in unison and celebrate the inauguration as their greatest achievement.
Besides monetary contributions in much needed foreign currency to the dam’s construction through bond purchases and donations, the Country’s diaspora has played a pivotal role in providing international advocacy and public diplomacy to counter external pressures and promote the project’s benefits. In recognition of these invaluable contributions of the Ethiopia diaspora, the Ethiopian Consulate General Office in Lebanon organized a colorful event for celebrating the culmination of over a decade of construction of the Africa’s largest hydropower project (GERD) for domestic power generation and regional energy integration. The event gathered Ethiopians and peoples of Ethiopian origin from all over Lebanon who heralded the completion of the GERD through national anthem, religious blessings, speeches, remarks, mottos, children songs, candle lighting, cake cuttings, coffee ceremonies, and food and drinks. Mr. Getachew Uta, chargé d’affaires of the Consulate General, in his remarks, stated that multiple performances by the diaspora members at the event symbolize their unity, resolve, perseverance, and success on the realization of the generational dream to use the country’s mighty Blue Nile River.
Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa with 130 million people. More than half of the population is living without access to modern electricity according to the World Bank. For such a country, the realization of such mega power project is far more than a milestone and can be deeply emotional and historical moment as revealed at the event. The dam, at its full capacity, will generate 5150 megawatts of electricity that will double Ethiopia’s current electricity generation.
Thus, the inauguration and commissioning of GERD marks a defining moment not only for Ethiopia’s domestic energy ambitions, but also for the regional integration through power interconnection as the dam’s potential extends beyond Ethiopia. As a structure built upstream, it has the potential to offers Sudan improved flood control, reduced sedimentation and the opportunity for more reliable water flow during dry Seasons. Egypt, too, can benefit from access to renewable, affordable electricity and reduced water loss through evaporation.
While the GERD functions as a non-water-consumptive hydroelectric dam that temporarily stores and releases water during power generation, Egypt and Sudan has been concerned that the megaproject may impact them. Consequently, Ethiopia opened its door for negotiation over the project to build trust and enhance confidence between the three countries. Multiple rounds of negotiations have been conducted regarding operation of the dam and yet to arrive at a conclusion.
In all cases, a negotiated settlement of outstanding issues on the basis of accepted principles of international law on the utilization of trans-boundary rivers is a preferable option to guarantee the predictability the downstream countries need and realize shard benefits to the people of the three countries.
