Addis ababa: African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf announced that the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be a significant event remembered by future generations. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed presided over the inauguration ceremony, attended by numerous African leaders and other officials.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf highlighted the inauguration as a historic occasion for Ethiopia. He remarked on the decades of effort, dedication, and visionary leadership that went into the inception, construction, and completion of the dam. The primary objective of GERD is to produce up to 5,000 megawatts of green energy, providing a substantial electricity source for both Ethiopians and neighboring countries.
Chairperson Youssouf extended his congratulations to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Ethiopian people for their commitment to the project, which was financed through personal savings, hard work, and sacrifice. He also mentioned the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a framework of Agenda 2063, which was initiated in 2012 to cover transport, energy, transboundary water resources, and information and communication technology. Youssouf emphasized that PIDA offers the vision and strategies for large-scale cross-border infrastructure projects.
Reflecting on the recent Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, Youssouf stated that the dam exemplifies the transformation of words into action, highlighting the importance of renewable energy and energy transition in Africa’s collective goals. He acknowledged Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s assurance that the dam is not intended to harm anyone and emphasized the importance of diplomatic dialogue.
Youssouf urged the involved countries to resume discussions based on the 2015 Khartoum Agreement on Principles, expressing the African Union’s readiness to facilitate negotiations. He cited the collaboration among Senegal, Mali, and Mauritania over the Senegal River as an example of successful trilateral cooperation. In his concluding remarks, Youssouf stressed the need for political will and wisdom to find common ground, quoting the Holy Quran: ‘We made every living thing from water.’