Ethiopia inaugurates largest dam in Africa

Ethiopia on Tuesday inaugurated Africa’s largest dam to boost the economy, end frequent blackouts and support the growth of electric vehicle development in a country that has banned the importation of gasoline-powered vehicles.

- By EvELYNE MusamBI, SaMvUEL GETACHEW AND AMANUEL GEBREMEDHIN BIRHANE

ARTISTS at Tuesday's inauguration of the almost $5-billion mega-dam in the northwest of Ethiopia.

As reservoir waters flowed into the turbines of the Grand Renaissance Dam, Ethiopians dressed in colorful regalia viewed the ceremony on large screens across the capital, Addis Ababa, and celebrated the achievement with dancing to traditional music.

“We will have enough power to charge our electric vehicles from the new dam,” said Belay Tigabu, a bus driver in Addis Ababa’s main bus terminal.

The almost $5-billion mega-dam, located on a tributary of the Nile in the northwest of the country, near the border with Sudan, will produce more than 5,000 megawatts and is expected to double national electricity-generation capacity, according to officials.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the dam was a “big achievement” that would show the world what Africans are capable of accomplishing.