Addis Ababa: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will help meet the growing demands and energy security of the region, American political analyst Andrew Korybko said.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in his recent address to questions put to him by members of the parliament (MPs) noted that the dam stands as a powerful testament that Africans can transform their future by harnessing and developing their own resources independently.
Speaking to ENA, Korybko said GERD’s completion will enable Ethiopia to export some of its excess electricity that’s produced. “Even so, its completion will help meet the horn’s growing energy demands and ensure their energy security sustainably,” he stated.
Therefore, he elaborated that it’s up to each country’s government to take advantage of this opportunity for tangibly improving their economy. The surrounding countries can import this through the creation of new energy infrastructure in order to improve their economies, he added.
“That could in turn lead to more integration within the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which includes all of Ethiopia’s neighbors and nearby Uganda,” he pointed out.
Moreover, he stated that few African nations are endowed with the hydrological wealth where “most are therefore unable to replicate the GERD model.” However, he pointed out that they can provide support to Ethiopia politically amidst its dispute with Egypt over this mega project.
GERD is now a physical reality; and no one will stop it, he added. The more regional stakeholders there are in GERD-can be achieved through the creation of new energy infrastructure for exporting its excess electricity, Korybko pointed out.
He further noted that the Dam is thought to foster positive relationships among neighboring and distant countries, promoting mutual growth while also providing access to affordable electricity from Ethiopia. In addition to supplying power to Sudan, Kenya, and Djibouti, the Dam will allow Ethiopia to export electricity to other nations across the continent, he reiterated.