Latest news with #GrandEthiopianRenaissanceDam
Daily News Egypt
2 hours ago
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
Addis Ababa Residents Voice Anger Over Soaring Electricity Bills
A growing number of residents in Ethiopia's capital are expressing outrage over a sharp rise in electricity costs, which many say is straining their already tight household budgets. Social media has been flooded with complaints, prompting calls for immediate explanations from Ethiopian electric utility providers. Residents across various neighborhoods in Addis Ababa report that recent prepaid electricity top-ups are no longer lasting as long as they did just months ago. In interviews with local outlets, several citizens described being shocked by the rate at which their prepaid balances are depleting — without a clear reason or official explanation. 'I used to recharge 1,000 birr and it would last the whole month,' said Martha, a mother of two. 'Now, 800 birr barely gets me through a week. I don't know what changed, but I'm struggling to keep up.' Another resident, Markos, recounted a frustrating experience after he recharged his meter card with 1,500 birr. 'When I tapped the card, the balance only showed 1,200 birr. I went back to the branch to ask, and they had no answers for me,' he said. For lower-income families, the price jump is hitting especially hard. One woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said her household of four is now paying more than double the electricity costs they did earlier this year. 'We're already stretched thin trying to cover rent and groceries,' she said. 'Now electricity has become another unaffordable burden.' Efforts by local media to obtain clarification from the Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) and Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) have so far yielded little information. A representative at a branch office told reporters the issue was 'beyond their scope of authority,' while repeated calls to the headquarters went unanswered. While frustration grows in urban centers, nearly half of Ethiopia's population—particularly in rural areas—still lacks reliable access to electricity altogether. Many had pinned hopes on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which is projected to more than double the country's current power generation capacity to over 6,000 megawatts. The GERD, Africa's largest hydroelectric project, was partially inaugurated in September and is expected to provide a long-term solution to the country's chronic energy shortages. Officials have touted the project as a potential catalyst for affordable, widespread electrification across the country. However, experts caution that GERD's completion alone may not immediately translate into lower electricity prices for average citizens. Infrastructure bottlenecks, economic inflation, and regulatory inefficiencies may continue to influence energy costs, even as overall power output increases. For now, residents in Addis Ababa say they are left in the dark — both literally and figuratively — as their utility bills soar without clarity or accountability. Many are calling on the government and electricity providers to issue a public explanation and introduce transparent pricing mechanisms to ease the burden on everyday consumers.
Egypt Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Expert warns GERD's damage to Egypt's water share is at 90 billion cubic meters
Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University Abbas Sharaky warned that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has clearly harmed Egypt's share of Nile River water over the past five years, during which Ethiopia filled the reservoir of the dam. Sharaky explained in a post on his Facebook page: 'The damage is clear, with approximately 90 billion cubic meters being held back over five years, including 60 billion cubic meters stored in the lake, in addition to the loss of approximately 20-30 billion cubic meters due to evaporation and seepage into the ground.' He noted that Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has reiterated Egypt's right to legitimately defend itself and its water interests if any harm occurs. 'What is meant here is that in the event of serious harm to citizens, the government cannot prevent it from reaching them, and this does not mean, as some understand, that Egypt has not been harmed by the GERD so far,' he explained. The state has been able to provide sufficient quantities of water thanks to the High Dam and some measures and projects that cost the general budget more than LE 500 billion during the years of filling the GERD, the expert said. Sharaky pointed out that these projects include agricultural wastewater treatment plants, limiting the area for rice cultivation, developing field irrigation, lining canals, replacing agricultural varieties with water-saving ones, and a 100,000-acre greenhouse project, among others. He added that Egypt has always emphasized that it is not against development in any country, especially the Nile headwaters, provided it does not harm others. Sharaky explained that there is clear cooperation with Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania on various projects, most notably the construction of the Julius Nyerere Dam in Tanzania. Hope for an agreement The expert explained that the door is still open to reach a binding legal agreement that sets rules for the recurrent filling and operation of the GERD – especially after the completion of the initial five-year filling, which was a major point of contention in previous negotiations over the filling period, and it is preferable for this agreement to be reached before the official opening. In response to Ethiopia's statements regarding the opening of the GERD in September and Egypt's invitation to attend the ceremony, Sharaky said that Egypt can only attend the opening if an agreement is reached. 'Anything other than that, the invitation to attend constitutes a disdain and provocation to Egypt and Sudan, and the Foreign Minister described it as absurd. Egypt also strongly rejects any future Ethiopian announcement to construct additional dams on the Nile River through unilateral decisions.'
First Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Nile Dam Conflict: Egypt's Ally Trump Again Claims US Funded Ethiopia's GERD
Nile Dam Conflict: Egypt's Ally Trump Again Claims US Funded Ethiopia's GERD | Firstpost Africa In the Horn of Africa, tensions are escalating tensions over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a massive hydroelectric project vital to Ethiopia's development but viewed as an existential threat by downstream nations, particularly Egypt and Sudan. At the heart of the current friction is U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that the US funded the dam. The Ethiopian government has consistently denied his claims. Trump's vocal support for Egypt's concerns over the dam, including his past suggestion that Egypt might "blow up the dam," raises questions about his motivations. Trump's backing for Egypt is tied to broader geopolitical interests, specifically his desire for Egypt to support Israel's agenda in the Gaza conflict, including plans for establishing a "humanitarian city" near the Rafah border. Watch this video to know more. See More
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Egypt to Counter Any Threat to Its Water Security
Egypt has warned it will take 'necessary measures' to protect its historical rights to Nile waters, following new statements by Ethiopian officials that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is only the beginning of a wider dam-building plan. A senior Egyptian official, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, said Cairo remains committed to securing a binding agreement that regulates current and future projects on the Nile and its tributaries. 'Egypt will act to safeguard its water security in line with international law and treaties governing transboundary rivers,' the official said. 'We have always known Ethiopia has broader ambitions beyond the GERD. That's why we've insisted from the beginning on a binding agreement, not only to limit the harm from GERD but to regulate any future projects as well.' He added that Egypt considers Nile water a matter of national survival and would 'resist any threat with full force.' Cairo is closely monitoring whether Ethiopia's new dam plans will involve the Nile or other river systems, he said. 'Each case will be assessed accordingly.' The comments came after Ethiopia's GERD Coordination Office head, Aregawi Berhe, told local media on Wednesday that the dam was 'only the first step' in the country's strategy for water and energy development. 'We cannot rely on just one dam,' he said, calling for additional projects to support agriculture, which he described as the backbone of Ethiopia's economy and food security. Berhe also said the GERD was built entirely with domestic funding, pushing back on earlier remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting American financial involvement. 'Vital lifeline' Egyptian lawmaker Mostafa Bakry described the Ethiopian statements as 'provocative' and accused Addis Ababa of seeking to impose a fait accompli, despite ongoing deadlock over the GERD negotiations. 'Ethiopia is treating the GERD as a closed chapter and is now openly discussing what comes next,' Bakry said. 'Cairo has known from the start that Ethiopia wants to build dozens of dams under the pretext of development and agriculture. But the real goal is to control the river and limit Egypt's water supply.' 'This is an existential matter for Egypt,' he warned. 'We will not tolerate threats to our survival. Ethiopia must reconsider its course before the situation escalates.' Ethiopia's latest declarations come amid renewed international attention on the Nile dispute, following comments by Trump expressing concern over the dam's potential impact on Egypt. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed the remarks and reiterated his country's reliance on US mediation to broker a final agreement. Earlier this month, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the completion of GERD construction and set September as the date for its official inauguration, inviting Egypt and Sudan to attend. Cairo swiftly rejected the call, denouncing what it sees as Ethiopia's continued unilateralism on Nile issues. Skepticism Egyptian water and Africa expert Dr. Raafat Mahmoud dismissed Ethiopia's justification that future dams would support agriculture. 'Most of Ethiopia's terrain is unsuitable for conventional irrigation. It's a rugged highland that relies on rainfall,' he said. 'Even GERD was completed with great difficulty and at high financial cost. Additional dams will face the same hurdles.' He argued that Ethiopia's ambitions are driven less by development and more by geopolitical aspirations. 'This is about positioning itself as a regional power and countering Egypt's influence in Africa. It's also part of a broader effort to gain access to the Red Sea and build a naval presence there.' Still, Mahmoud said Egypt is unlikely to take immediate action unless a direct threat to its water supply materializes. 'As long as there's no measurable harm, Cairo will likely stick to diplomacy. But under international law, it reserves the right to act if its vital interests are jeopardized.' He added that many of Addis Ababa's announcements are aimed more at domestic audiences than at regional planning. 'These public statements are often designed to rally Ethiopian citizens, even when they don't reflect the realities on the ground.'
Egypt Independent
24-07-2025
- Business
- Egypt Independent
Ethiopia declares Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam just the beginning: More nile dams planned for development
The CEO of Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) Coordination Office, Aregawi Berhe, announced that Ethiopia requires even more water dams to achieve development in its agriculture and energy sectors, stating unequivocally that 'GERD is not the end of the road.' Speaking to Ethiopian media on Wednesday, Aregawi added that the GERD project is merely a first step in a long trajectory of self-driven development in the water and energy sectors. He emphasized that 'Ethiopia cannot be content with just one dam.' He highlighted the need for additional dams to serve vital purposes, primarily supporting the agricultural sector, which he described as a fundamental pillar of the national economy and food security. He believes Ethiopia has been slow in utilizing its water resources compared to other pioneering nations. 'We will not stop at just one dam; we need dams that serve other purposes, including agriculture,' he reiterated, viewing the GERD project as the beginning of correcting this path and a strategic step towards catching up with development. Aregawi also mentioned that GERD was completed with full internal funding, without reliance on foreign loans or aid. This statement came in response to previous claims by President Donald Trump about U.S. financing for the dam. Ethiopia is preparing for the official inauguration ceremony of GERD next September, with increasing regional and international attention on this massive project, which is expected to alter the balance of energy and development in the Horn of Africa region. Recently, President Donald Trump spoke about GERD on multiple occasions, stating during a White House press conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte: 'The United States financed the GERD, and I don't know why.' Earlier this July, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the completion of GERD's construction and set next September as the inauguration date, coinciding with the end of summer. In response, Egypt reiterated its categorical rejection of Ethiopia's continued imposition of a fait accompli through unilateral measures related to the Nile River, considering it a shared international water resource. Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, stated in a press release that the Ethiopian side has persistently promoted the completion of the dam, calling it 'illegal and in violation of international law,' despite the absence of a binding agreement with downstream nations and despite the substantive reservations expressed by both Egypt and Sudan. He added that Ethiopia's policy is a 'clear violation of international law, especially the rules related to the equitable and reasonable use of international watercourses and the obligation not to cause significant harm.'
