The GERD project remains a point of contention among Nile Basin countries….reports Asian Lite News
Water levels in Sudan’s Blue Nile have fallen to record lows following Ethiopia’s announcement that it has completed the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which is due to be inaugurated in mid-September.
Ethiopia’s Water and Energy Minister, Habtamu Itefa Geleta, confirmed that both the construction and filling phases are now complete, describing the dam as “a tool for cooperation, exchange of benefits and ending differences.” He pledged a national celebration to mark the inauguration.
The project, however, remains a point of contention among Nile Basin countries. While Ethiopia has sought to portray the dam as a shared asset, Sudan and Egypt have long raised concerns over its potential impact on downstream water flow.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has repeatedly stressed that GERD poses no threat, stating it has not reduced water levels at Egypt’s Aswan Dam and that Ethiopia’s development ambitions will not come at the expense of its neighbours.
