Ethiopia to open GERD mega-dam despite warnings from Sudan and Egypt over Nile water supplies
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Ethiopia Opens Africa's Largest Dam Amid Regional Tensions
Above: A general view of the GERD project during its official inauguration ceremony in Guba, Ethiopia on Sept. 9, 2025. Image copyright: Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Against all odds and without external funding, Ethiopia has built the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam — a monument to unwavering determination and collective sacrifice. Built entirely through grassroots contributions from farmers to diaspora, it will liberate 60 million people from energy poverty while transforming Africa's hydroelectric landscape. A nation has literally powered its own renaissance.
Narrative B
Ethiopia's reckless pursuit of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam exposes dangerous unilateralism that threatens regional stability. Built without downstream consent, this $5 billion gamble with the Nile's lifeblood imperils millions in water-starved Egypt and war-torn Sudan. National pride cannot justify potentially catastrophic consequences for vulnerable neighbors dependent on these sacred waters.