Egypt has submitted a formal complaint to the UN Security Council condemning Ethiopia’s “unilateral” measures as Addis Ababa this week inaugurated its controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the latest escalation in their 14-year dispute over water security (MEES, 26 July 2024).
Water rights have long been a contentious issue for the Nile’s riparian states, especially since Ethiopia began work on the $5bn megaproject in 2011. It hopes that the 5.15GW hydroelectric dam will supply power to the 65 million (over 50% of the population) who currently lack access to any form of electricity. It will double the country’s electricity generation capacity and turn Ethiopia into Africa’s largest power exporter (MEES, 11 October 2019). (CONTINUED - 785 WORDS)
