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Source: Wikipedia

Context

Ethiopia's Prime Minister recently announced that the multibillion-dollar Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, which has long alarmed neighbouring countries, is complete and will be officially inaugurated in September.

What is GERD?

The GERD, formerly known as the Millennium Dam, is situated in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia, near the border with Sudan. Ethiopia is leading the 145-meter-tall hydroelectric project, which would be Africa's tallest dam when completed. It is located in the Horn of Africa, a peninsula and the easternmost extension of the African continent made up of four countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

Construction of GERD

• Construction on the upper Blue Nile tributary began in 2011.
• The Nile, the world's longest river, has been at the focus of a dispute between numerous countries that rely on its waters.
• The Nile's main streams flow through Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt, while its drainage basin spans other East African countries, including Ethiopia.

GERD Dispute

• Ethiopia and Egypt are in the forefront of this disagreement, and Sudan's placement between Egypt to the north and Ethiopia to the south has prompted it to become an unintentional party to this conflict.
• Given the dam's location, Ethiopia might acquire control over the river's flow, resulting in lower water levels within Egypt's boundaries.
• Egypt, which is further downstream, has consistently opposed the dam's construction.

Source: Ndtv.com