Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officially inaugurated the Grand Renaissance Dam on Tuesday in a historic ceremony.
The move comes 14 years after construction began. The dam, Africa’s largest hydropower project, is set to provide electricity to millions of Ethiopians while escalating tensions with downstream neighbors Egypt and Sudan.
The inauguration was attended by the presidents of Djibouti, South Sudan, Somalia, and Kenya, as well as representatives from the African Union and the United Nations.
The official opening proceeded despite formal objections from Sudan and Egypt. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized that Ethiopia will use the dam to expand electricity access to its citizens and insisted that the project poses no threat to downstream countries.
