Diplomat. Ethiopia begins producing energy at the mega-dam on the Blue Nile.

Ethiopia views the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as crucial to its development, whereas Sudan and Egypt saw it as a threat.

diplomat. Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a huge hydropower complex on the Nile River that neighbors Egypt and Sudan claim will result in serious water shortages downstream, started producing energy for the first time.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Abbey Ahmed formally started producing energy from the mega-dam, marking a significant development in the contentious multibillion-dollar project.

diplomat. Along with senior officials, Abiy visited the power generating station and touched a number of buttons on an electronic screen, which the officials claimed started production.

The prime minister made an effort to reassure the surrounding countries that his government did not intend to undermine their interests.

According to Abbey, “Ethiopia’s main interest is to save our mothers’ labor, who carry wood on their backs to get energy,” and to bring light to the 60% of the population that lives in darkness.

“As you can see, contrary to rumors that the Ethiopian people and government are damming the water to starve Egypt and Sudan, this water will generate energy while flowing as it previously did to Sudan and Egypt.”