Ethiopia: Abbay Dam – New Dawn for Ethiopian, African Dev’t

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) recently congratulated Ethiopians on the near-completion of the Abbay Dam, describing its current status as a “historical arc” that cannot be reversed.

Abiy emphasized that the dam is a monumental project everyone should witness, standing as a powerful lesson for the entire African continent. He urged riparian countries like Sudan and Egypt to support the project, stating, “Ethiopia is sharing its resources with other nations for mutual development. If the lower riparian countries manage these resources wisely, it could significantly enhance their progress.” He assured that as construction advances, the dam will further improve water supply.

Experts consulted by the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) underscored the Abbay Dam’s critical role in strengthening regional integration, boosting power supply, and facilitating economic growth.

Haramaya University economics lecturer Frezer Tilahun highlighted the dam’s substantial social, economic, political, and regional importance for Ethiopia and its neighbors. He noted that the dam would enhance Ethiopia’s power supply to manufacturing industries, enabling them to operate at full capacity. This, in turn, would boost productivity and help transform the country’s agriculture-led economy into one driven by industrialization.

Beyond generating electricity, the dam will serve multiple economic purposes, such as tourism, job creation, irrigation, and fisheries. Frezer remarked that the project demonstrates Ethiopia’s capacity for self-reliant development and encourages the country to maximize the economic benefits of the Abbay River.

Ethiopia has already begun exporting power to neighboring countries, with South Sudan, Tanzania, Somaliland, and Somalia have expressed interest in purchasing electricity. This fosters economic integration based on a mutually beneficial “give-and-take” principle, promoting shared development, a sense of ownership, and better service delivery.

Economic expert and policy advisor Costantinos Beruhtesfa (PhD) added that diplomatic efforts surrounding the Abbay Dam should be strengthened moving forward. He pointed out that the dam would significantly boost both domestic and export power supply, with efforts already underway to provide power to countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Djibouti, Somaliland, and Somalia.

He also highlighted the potential benefits for Egypt and Sudan as the dam’s reservoir becomes fully operational. Power generation, transportation, and distribution, he said, are key components of regional integration. Abbay, Koisha, and Gibe dams will become central power hubs in the future.

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Costantinos urged the Ethiopian government to ensure lasting peace in these areas and encourage the private sector to invest in tourism.

Construction of the Abbay Dam began in 2011 in the Benishangul-Gumuz State, approximately 14 kilometers east of the Sudanese border. Designed to generate over 5,000 megawatts, the dam is expected to double Ethiopia’s electricity production, which currently serves only half of the country’s population of over 120 million.

Ethiopia is recognized for harnessing the Abbay River for electricity generation, flood control, irrigation, sediment management, navigation, and fishery production. Upon completion, the Abbay Dam will be Africa’s largest, measuring 1,800 meters long and 155 meters high. As the “Water Tower of Africa,” Ethiopia is leveraging its water resources to drive economic progress, with the primary goal of accelerating industrialization.

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