Ethiopia Shares GERD Experience with The Gambia

Addis Ababa, March 19, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy, Engineer Habtamu Itefa, met with a delegation from The Gambia, led by Dr. Abdoulie Sireh Jallow, First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia.

During the discussion, Minister Habtamu shared Ethiopia’s experience in generating electricity from its water resources, with a focus on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

He explained that GERD has provided valuable lessons in financial mobilization and public engagement, calling it a key project built with Ethiopia’s own financial resources and the active participation of its people.

The minister also highlighted the significant challenges faced during the construction, particularly external efforts aimed at halting the dam’s progress. Despite these obstacles, GERD has successfully begun partial power generation.

Minister Habtamu emphasized that the trilateral negotiations with Egypt and Sudan regarding the dam and the equitable use of the Nile River are a powerful example of “African solutions to African problems,” offering a model for regional cooperation and resource sharing.