Addis Ababa: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has emerged as a source of inspiration for riparian countries in their collective quest for sustainable development, President Taye Atske Selassie highlighted during the Nile Day 2025 celebrations in Addis Ababa.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, President Taye emphasized that GERD exemplifies innovation and collaboration among riparian countries in their pursuit of a prosperous, climate-resilient future. He described the dam as a transformative project that not only mitigates climate change impacts but also ensures a reliable water supply for agriculture and domestic use across the Nile basin.
The president elaborated on GERD’s role in reducing flood damage and safeguarding water availability during dry periods, while its vast hydropower capacity generates clean, renewable energy. This contributes to industrialization and power distribution across the region, reducing dependency on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
President Taye underscored the River Nile as a symbol of shared aspiration and common objectives among Nile Riparian countries. He called for constructive deliberation and strengthened cooperation among Nile basin countries to address challenges like population growth, climate change, and competing water resource demands, emphasizing the need for climate-resilient hydraulic infrastructures.
Reaffirming Ethiopia’s commitment to inclusive decision-making and water resource management cooperation, President Taye urged member states of the Nile Basin Initiative to remain committed to cooperation and work towards establishing a permanent Nile River organization for coordinated management, dispute resolution, and strategic planning for shared water resources.
Development partners were encouraged to support investments in climate-resilient infrastructure, data sharing, and capacity-building programs. Academic and research institutions were urged to provide evidence-based solutions for equitable water resource sharing.
Ethiopia’s Water and Energy Minister, Habtamu Itefa, highlighted the challenges posed by the growing population within the Nile Basin, projected to exceed 1 billion by 2050, exacerbating climate change impacts on water availability. He called for steps to build climate resilience and protect shared natural resources.
The minister emphasized the need for genuine cooperation through legal institutional mechanisms to enhance climate resilience and shared prosperity. He noted the commitment of the majority of Nile Basin countries to the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement, urging remaining member states to ratify the agreement to operationalize the Nile Basin Commission and advance the cooperative agenda.
Nile Basin Initiative Executive Director, Florence Grace Adongo, encouraged national celebrations of Nile Day to raise awareness and knowledge sharing about Nile cooperation. She reaffirmed the commitment of Nile Basin countries to cooperation for shared development and peace, citing successful joint regional investments as evidence of the power of collaboration.