In brief
In a recent development, an Ethiopian official has firmly denied former President Donald Trump's assertions that the US was involved in financing Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the River Nile. The statement comes after Trump claimed the dam, which is Africa's largest hydro-electric project, was "stupidly financed by the United States." Ethiopia's Deputy Director of the GERD Coordination Office, Fikrte Tamir, labeled Trump's comments as "false" and "destructive," emphasizing the dam's construction entirely reliant on local funding and contributions from the Ethiopian populace.
Construction of the dam, which began in 2011, has been a source of national pride but has also heightened tensions with Egypt and Sudan, who fear a decrease in water flow resulting from the dam. The Ethiopian government has consistently maintained that the GERD has been funded through domestic resources, including bonds, salary deductions, and donations from the Ethiopian diaspora. In response to Trump's recurring claims, Fikrte suggested that a more diplomatic approach should be taken, noting the challenges of the GERD Coordination Office's supposed autonomy amid government relations with the US.The GERD started generating electricity in 2022, and despite extensive delays and budget overruns, significant public contributions have continued to flow. As Ethiopia aims to harness hydroelectric power to address its widespread electricity shortages, tensions persist with downstream nations reliant on the Nile's water.
