GERD Background and Facts
Updated: Feb 15, 2021
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is one of Ethiopia’s mega development projects expected to address the urgent energy and development needs of Africa’s second most populace nation of 115 million (in 2020).
GERD is Ethiopia’s pathway to development and is part of the nation’s Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) to transform its economy [from agriculture to industry and turn Ethiopia into an “African hub” for manufacturing and to bring the country to lower-middle income status, lifting its population out of poverty by 2030.
Ethiopian rivers and streams contribute up to 85 percent of the Nile waters - Egypt receives 86 percent of the Nile waters.
Aiming to harness its natural resources and following its right to development, the dam construction started in April 2011 on the Abbay/Blue Nile river and is expected to be fully completed and operational by August 2023.
The Nile waters are shared by 11 countries in Africa (Burundi, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda).
The construction of GERD fully aligns with the principles of preserving the interest of all riparian countries while adhering to international laws.
GERD construction cost is estimated at US $5 billion dollars. 100 percent of funding comes from Ethiopia’s own resources and the people of Ethiopia.