THR the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

THR the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Date set
March 6, 2026
Tournament
Brown II
Topics
Public Policy, IR
Background slide

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a massive 5.15-gigawatt hydroelectric project on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, officially inaugurated in September 2025 as Africa’s largest dam. Designed to boost Ethiopia's electricity production and foster economic development, the $5 billion dam has fueled long-standing diplomatic tensions with downstream nations, Egypt and Sudan, over water security and regional resource control.