#Breaking: #Kenya’s President Ruto the ‘chief guest’ of #Ethiopia’s #GERD inauguration
Kenya’s President William Ruto is set to be the “chief guest” at the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which he described as “a symbol of Africa’s self-reliance and a milestone for Ethiopia.” The Office of the State House Spokesperson confirmed his attendance in a statement issued Sunday.
President Ruto & his delegation arrived in Addis Abeba earlier today. Unconfirmed reports indicate the GERD will be inaugurated on Tuesday, 9 September.
Highlighting the regional significance of GERD, the statement said the Ethiopia–Kenya power interconnector already supplies “clean, affordable electricity that strengthens energy security, stabilises supply during droughts, and supports industrial growth.” It added that the project, together with the Kenya–Tanzania interconnector, advances East Africa’s integration through shared renewable energy.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16TjabanfW/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Kenya’s President William Ruto is set to be the “chief guest” at the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which he described as “a symbol of Africa’s self-reliance and a milestone for Ethiopia.” The Office of the State House Spokesperson confirmed his attendance in a statement issued Sunday.
President Ruto & his delegation arrived in Addis Abeba earlier today. Unconfirmed reports indicate the GERD will be inaugurated on Tuesday, 9 September.
Highlighting the regional significance of GERD, the statement said the Ethiopia–Kenya power interconnector already supplies “clean, affordable electricity that strengthens energy security, stabilises supply during droughts, and supports industrial growth.” It added that the project, together with the Kenya–Tanzania interconnector, advances East Africa’s integration through shared renewable energy.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16TjabanfW/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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#Ethiopian Airlines marks 50 years of uninterrupted service to #Kinshasa, DRC
Ethiopian Airlines celebrates 50 years of uninterrupted service to Kinshasa, marked by a ceremony attended by senior DRC officials, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew, and aviation executives.
Launched in 1975, the route has served as a key bridge linking the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Ethiopian Airline’s wider global network.
The airline currently operates 32 weekly flights to three DRC destinations, including Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Goma, alongside dedicated cargo services.
CEO Mesfin Tasew described the milestone as “a proud moment that reflects Ethiopian’s unwavering commitment to the people of DRC and the continent at large.”
Ethiopian Airlines celebrates 50 years of uninterrupted service to Kinshasa, marked by a ceremony attended by senior DRC officials, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew, and aviation executives.
Launched in 1975, the route has served as a key bridge linking the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Ethiopian Airline’s wider global network.
The airline currently operates 32 weekly flights to three DRC destinations, including Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Goma, alongside dedicated cargo services.
CEO Mesfin Tasew described the milestone as “a proud moment that reflects Ethiopian’s unwavering commitment to the people of DRC and the continent at large.”
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#Yemen’s #Houthis claim responsibility for drone attack on #Israeli airport
Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a drone strike against Israel’s Ramon Airport near the Red Sea city of Eilat that injured two people.
The attack on Sunday, which targeted the arrivals hall, had halted operations at the airport for around two hours.
“A drone targeted Ramon Airport, which, by Allah’s grace, directly hit the airport and caused the airport to shut down and halt air traffic,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement.
He added that the attack was part of a broader drone operation that also targeted other sites in southern Israel.
Saree vowed that the Houthis will “escalate” their attacks against Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces assure all air navigation companies that the airports inside occupied Palestine are unsafe and will be continuously targeted,” he said.
https://aje.io/863zjj
Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a drone strike against Israel’s Ramon Airport near the Red Sea city of Eilat that injured two people.
The attack on Sunday, which targeted the arrivals hall, had halted operations at the airport for around two hours.
“A drone targeted Ramon Airport, which, by Allah’s grace, directly hit the airport and caused the airport to shut down and halt air traffic,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement.
He added that the attack was part of a broader drone operation that also targeted other sites in southern Israel.
Saree vowed that the Houthis will “escalate” their attacks against Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces assure all air navigation companies that the airports inside occupied Palestine are unsafe and will be continuously targeted,” he said.
https://aje.io/863zjj
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#Ethiopia: Police in #Tigray arrest human smugglers attempting to traffic 37 people
Police in Southeast Tigray Zone arrested suspects attempting to traffic 37 people, including 13 children, through 70 Enderta Woreda. Rising food insecurity and limited job opportunities are pushing many youths in Tigray to take dangerous migration routes via Djibouti and the Gulf of Aden. Regional authorities estimate that at least 32,000 young people leave Tigray illegally each year using both northern and eastern routes.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52349
Police in Southeast Tigray Zone arrested suspects attempting to traffic 37 people, including 13 children, through 70 Enderta Woreda. Rising food insecurity and limited job opportunities are pushing many youths in Tigray to take dangerous migration routes via Djibouti and the Gulf of Aden. Regional authorities estimate that at least 32,000 young people leave Tigray illegally each year using both northern and eastern routes.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52349
#Puntland deploys troops to block voter registration in #Sool region
Puntland authorities have deployed troops to parts of the Sool region in an attempt to halt voter registration for one-person, one-vote elections launched by #Somalia’s federal government and the newly declared Northeastern administration.
Residents told HOL that Puntland forces moved into Boocame district and the nearby Falariyale area, where federal & Northeastern electoral commissions had begun registration.
Both areas are home to Puntland Vice Pres. Ilyas Osman, who has openly rejected voter registration there.
Local sources say the vice president is mobilizing his clan-based forces and has warned that they will resist any attempt to carry out registration. Lugatoor recently visited the contested districts, declaring them part of Puntland and laying foundation stones for development projects funded by his amdin.
https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Sept/202843/puntland_deploys_troops_to_block_voter_registration_in_sool_region.aspx
Puntland authorities have deployed troops to parts of the Sool region in an attempt to halt voter registration for one-person, one-vote elections launched by #Somalia’s federal government and the newly declared Northeastern administration.
Residents told HOL that Puntland forces moved into Boocame district and the nearby Falariyale area, where federal & Northeastern electoral commissions had begun registration.
Both areas are home to Puntland Vice Pres. Ilyas Osman, who has openly rejected voter registration there.
Local sources say the vice president is mobilizing his clan-based forces and has warned that they will resist any attempt to carry out registration. Lugatoor recently visited the contested districts, declaring them part of Puntland and laying foundation stones for development projects funded by his amdin.
https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Sept/202843/puntland_deploys_troops_to_block_voter_registration_in_sool_region.aspx
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#Commentary: #GERD: New reality in Nile Basin; #Africa’s emerging power dynamic
For more than a decade, #Egypt has sought to halt or disrupt the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As the dam's official inauguration approaches, Memar Ayalew Demeke, the author of this commentary, emphasizes an undeniable truth: “Egypt must now confront the irreversible reality that GERD’s inauguration is no longer a possibility to prevent but a certainty to accept.” He adds, “The era of resistance has ended; the age of adaptation must begin.”
The author explains that Egypt’s admission that 12 years of negotiations “yielded no concrete outcomes” signifies the collapse of its historical dominance, which was rooted in colonial-era treaties. He notes the GERD’s completion marks the end of Egypt’s "hydro-hegemony," a position maintained for over a century by treaties that granted it veto power over upstream projects. As Memar writes, “The psychological shift is profound: Egypt must now request water security rather than demand it, negotiate as an equal rather than dictate terms.”
The article further highlights that for #Ethiopia, the GERD is a triumph of self-reliance. Financed primarily through domestic fundraising, it embodies “Africa’s capacity for self-determination in the face of international opposition.” Beyond its political implications, the dam's power output is poised to transform Ethiopia’s economy, provide electricity to millions, and establish the nation as a regional energy hub.
The author argues that the GERD’s inauguration marks “not just the completion of Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, but the definitive end of an era where downstream nations controlled the fate of the world’s longest river.” He states that the choice for Egypt and #Sudan is clear: "embrace cooperation and seek mutual benefits or persist in futile opposition while Ethiopia and other upstream nations forge ahead with their development agenda."
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52344
For more than a decade, #Egypt has sought to halt or disrupt the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As the dam's official inauguration approaches, Memar Ayalew Demeke, the author of this commentary, emphasizes an undeniable truth: “Egypt must now confront the irreversible reality that GERD’s inauguration is no longer a possibility to prevent but a certainty to accept.” He adds, “The era of resistance has ended; the age of adaptation must begin.”
The author explains that Egypt’s admission that 12 years of negotiations “yielded no concrete outcomes” signifies the collapse of its historical dominance, which was rooted in colonial-era treaties. He notes the GERD’s completion marks the end of Egypt’s "hydro-hegemony," a position maintained for over a century by treaties that granted it veto power over upstream projects. As Memar writes, “The psychological shift is profound: Egypt must now request water security rather than demand it, negotiate as an equal rather than dictate terms.”
The article further highlights that for #Ethiopia, the GERD is a triumph of self-reliance. Financed primarily through domestic fundraising, it embodies “Africa’s capacity for self-determination in the face of international opposition.” Beyond its political implications, the dam's power output is poised to transform Ethiopia’s economy, provide electricity to millions, and establish the nation as a regional energy hub.
The author argues that the GERD’s inauguration marks “not just the completion of Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, but the definitive end of an era where downstream nations controlled the fate of the world’s longest river.” He states that the choice for Egypt and #Sudan is clear: "embrace cooperation and seek mutual benefits or persist in futile opposition while Ethiopia and other upstream nations forge ahead with their development agenda."
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52344
Addis Standard
GERD: New reality in Nile Basin; Africa’s emerging power dynamic - Addis Standard
GERD: New reality in Nile Basin; Africa’s emerging power dynamic Addis Standard Commentary -
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#CBE says it financed 91% of #GERD construction costs through loans
The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has announced that it provided financing services for more than 91% of the construction cost of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), amounting to over 223 billion birr. The dam is scheduled to be inaugurated on Tuesday, 9 September 2025.
In addition to its financing role, the bank facilitated the collection of public contributions through bond sales and donations. CBE said it has “played an irreplaceable role” in supporting the project since its inception.
Construction of the GERD began in April 2011. The dam, which holds a 74 billion cubic meter (BCM) reservoir and has an installed capacity of 5,150 megawatts (MW), is set to become Africa’s largest hydropower facility once fully operational.
Despite ongoing objections from #Egypt, #Ethiopia maintains that the GERD stands as a symbol of African self-reliance and regional development.
The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has announced that it provided financing services for more than 91% of the construction cost of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), amounting to over 223 billion birr. The dam is scheduled to be inaugurated on Tuesday, 9 September 2025.
In addition to its financing role, the bank facilitated the collection of public contributions through bond sales and donations. CBE said it has “played an irreplaceable role” in supporting the project since its inception.
Construction of the GERD began in April 2011. The dam, which holds a 74 billion cubic meter (BCM) reservoir and has an installed capacity of 5,150 megawatts (MW), is set to become Africa’s largest hydropower facility once fully operational.
Despite ongoing objections from #Egypt, #Ethiopia maintains that the GERD stands as a symbol of African self-reliance and regional development.
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#Ethiopia accuses #Arab League of bias toward #Egypt in Nile Dam dispute
Ethiopia's ambassador to Somalia has sharply criticized the Arab League, accusing it of siding with Egypt in the long-running dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and undermining Ethiopia's right to use its own natural resources.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Ambassador Suleiman Dedefo questioned the neutrality and purpose of the Arab League, implying that it has become an extension of Egyptian foreign policy.
"Is this truly a League of Arab Nations, or merely an instrument executing Egypt's anti-Ethiopia policy?" he wrote.
"The League has overlooked the conflicts, displacement, and famine affecting its member states while obsessively targeting Ethiopia's development of its own water resources," Mr. Dedefo added.
https://www.garoweonline.com/en/world/africa/ethiopia-accuses-arab-league-of-bias-toward-egypt-in-nile-dam-dispute
Ethiopia's ambassador to Somalia has sharply criticized the Arab League, accusing it of siding with Egypt in the long-running dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and undermining Ethiopia's right to use its own natural resources.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Ambassador Suleiman Dedefo questioned the neutrality and purpose of the Arab League, implying that it has become an extension of Egyptian foreign policy.
"Is this truly a League of Arab Nations, or merely an instrument executing Egypt's anti-Ethiopia policy?" he wrote.
"The League has overlooked the conflicts, displacement, and famine affecting its member states while obsessively targeting Ethiopia's development of its own water resources," Mr. Dedefo added.
https://www.garoweonline.com/en/world/africa/ethiopia-accuses-arab-league-of-bias-toward-egypt-in-nile-dam-dispute
Garowe Online
Ethiopia Accuses Arab League of Bias Toward Egypt in Nile Dam Dispute
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76 people, including #foreign nationals, arrested for #gold, #currency, and arms #trafficking
The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has arrested 76 individuals, 45 foreign nationals and 31 Ethiopians, suspected of involvement in illegal gold, currency, and arms trafficking across several regions of the country.
According to a statement sent to state media, the suspects were apprehended during operations in Addis Abeba, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, Oromia, Amhara, Sidama, and Southwestern Ethiopia.
NISS said the suspects were engaged in crimes including the illegal production, concealment, and trafficking of gold, as well as the trafficking of Ethiopian birr, other foreign currencies, and various weapons.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16vJpPmDfj/
The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has arrested 76 individuals, 45 foreign nationals and 31 Ethiopians, suspected of involvement in illegal gold, currency, and arms trafficking across several regions of the country.
According to a statement sent to state media, the suspects were apprehended during operations in Addis Abeba, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, Oromia, Amhara, Sidama, and Southwestern Ethiopia.
NISS said the suspects were engaged in crimes including the illegal production, concealment, and trafficking of gold, as well as the trafficking of Ethiopian birr, other foreign currencies, and various weapons.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16vJpPmDfj/
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#GERD project manager says #Sudan, #Egypt should have shared half of construction cost
In a televised interview, Eng. Kifle Horo, project manager of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), said the project brings significant benefits not only to Ethiopia but also to downstream countries, particularly Sudan and Egypt. He emphasized that Sudan will benefit from consistent water flow, reduced flooding, full reservoirs, and year-round farming opportunities.
On Egypt, Kifle noted that the dam’s location in Ethiopia reduces evaporation compared to Egypt’s plain-based reservoir, potentially saving an additional 4 billion cubic meters of water annually.
He argued that given these advantages, “Sudan should have covered at least 30% and Egypt 20% of the cost,” adding that instead of cooperating, both countries opposed the project, costing Ethiopia lives and resources.
Watch!
In a televised interview, Eng. Kifle Horo, project manager of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), said the project brings significant benefits not only to Ethiopia but also to downstream countries, particularly Sudan and Egypt. He emphasized that Sudan will benefit from consistent water flow, reduced flooding, full reservoirs, and year-round farming opportunities.
On Egypt, Kifle noted that the dam’s location in Ethiopia reduces evaporation compared to Egypt’s plain-based reservoir, potentially saving an additional 4 billion cubic meters of water annually.
He argued that given these advantages, “Sudan should have covered at least 30% and Egypt 20% of the cost,” adding that instead of cooperating, both countries opposed the project, costing Ethiopia lives and resources.
Watch!
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#Ethiopia – A light show lit up the skies over #Guba in Benishangul Gumuz region on the eve of the official inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (#GERD). The show is being broadcast live on state owned stations.
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The pride of #Ethiopia - What it took to build #Africa's largest hydro-electric #dam
The vastness of the building site was at first overwhelming for the young Ethiopian mechanical engineer.
Hundreds were already digging the foundations in tough conditions for what is now Africa's largest hydro-electric dam, straddling the Blue Nile.
Moges Yeshiwas was 27 when he arrived in that remote corner of western Ethiopia in 2012, eager to gain valuable experience in his profession. The completion of the project is set to change his nation, but it also changed his life.
On a personal level, Mr Moges, now 40, was also "very proud to be part of it".
"Watching the dam's progress day by day was deeply satisfying. I came seeking employment, but somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like just a job. I grew attached to the project, worrying about its future as if it were my own."
People from all walks of life contributed to building the dam through donations and the purchase of government-issued bonds.
Clinical nurse Kiros Asfaw was one of those.
Despite being from the Tigray region, which was blighted by a two-year civil war, he contributed when he could to the dam's construction ever since the plans were first announced in 2011.
He says he bought government bonds more than 100 times – though he had to pause his purchases during the conflict, when basic services, including banking, were suspended in Tigray.
Mr Kiros' motivation was rooted in remarks made by Ethiopia's late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who oversaw the beginning of the project, that all Ethiopians must come together in backing the dam.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4qx6377qgo
The vastness of the building site was at first overwhelming for the young Ethiopian mechanical engineer.
Hundreds were already digging the foundations in tough conditions for what is now Africa's largest hydro-electric dam, straddling the Blue Nile.
Moges Yeshiwas was 27 when he arrived in that remote corner of western Ethiopia in 2012, eager to gain valuable experience in his profession. The completion of the project is set to change his nation, but it also changed his life.
On a personal level, Mr Moges, now 40, was also "very proud to be part of it".
"Watching the dam's progress day by day was deeply satisfying. I came seeking employment, but somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like just a job. I grew attached to the project, worrying about its future as if it were my own."
People from all walks of life contributed to building the dam through donations and the purchase of government-issued bonds.
Clinical nurse Kiros Asfaw was one of those.
Despite being from the Tigray region, which was blighted by a two-year civil war, he contributed when he could to the dam's construction ever since the plans were first announced in 2011.
He says he bought government bonds more than 100 times – though he had to pause his purchases during the conflict, when basic services, including banking, were suspended in Tigray.
Mr Kiros' motivation was rooted in remarks made by Ethiopia's late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who oversaw the beginning of the project, that all Ethiopians must come together in backing the dam.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4qx6377qgo
Bbc
The pride of Ethiopia - What it took to build Africa's largest hydro-electric dam
In a fractious nation, the dam's construction has brought people together despite controversy abroad.
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#African leaders seek to offer climate model after #US pullback
African leaders aim to offer a global model for tackling the climate crisis through green investments, they said on Monday, after the United States' withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement deflated the fight against climate change.
The continent, which has been buffeted by landslides, floods and droughts this year, is holding its second climate summit in Ethiopia, seeking a common voice ahead of global climate talks in Brazil, COP30.
"We are not here to negotiate our survival. We are here to design the world's next climate economy," Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told the opening ceremony.
Leaders have been positioning the 54-nation continent as ripe for investments in carbon capture, renewable energy, critical minerals for green technology and food production to keep development on track amid the climate crisis.
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/african-leaders-seek-offer-climate-model-after-us-pullback-2025-09-08/
African leaders aim to offer a global model for tackling the climate crisis through green investments, they said on Monday, after the United States' withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement deflated the fight against climate change.
The continent, which has been buffeted by landslides, floods and droughts this year, is holding its second climate summit in Ethiopia, seeking a common voice ahead of global climate talks in Brazil, COP30.
"We are not here to negotiate our survival. We are here to design the world's next climate economy," Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told the opening ceremony.
Leaders have been positioning the 54-nation continent as ripe for investments in carbon capture, renewable energy, critical minerals for green technology and food production to keep development on track amid the climate crisis.
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/african-leaders-seek-offer-climate-model-after-us-pullback-2025-09-08/
Reuters
African leaders seek to offer climate model after US pullback
African leaders aim to offer a global model for tackling the climate crisis through green investments, they said on Monday, after the United States' withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement deflated the fight against climate change.
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#Ethiopia
Happening: The official inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (#GERD) is underway.
The unveiling of the commemorative plaques was led by President William Ruto of Kenya and President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, later joined by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Also in attendance are President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados, along with other invited dignitaries.
Video: State House Kenya
Happening: The official inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (#GERD) is underway.
The unveiling of the commemorative plaques was led by President William Ruto of Kenya and President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, later joined by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Also in attendance are President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados, along with other invited dignitaries.
Video: State House Kenya
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#Ethiopia: Over 300 houses damaged by strong winds in Eda’ga Arbi, Central #Tigray
More than 300 houses were damaged after strong winds accompanied by heavy rains struck Eda’ga Arbi town in Central Tigray, local officials said.
The woreda administration told local media that the winds hit the town around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, causing extensive damage to both private and government property.
Several electricity poles were also knocked down, some catching fire as a result. A committee has been established to assess the extent of the damage, while authorities are calling for urgent support to assist affected residents. No casualties have been reported so far.
More than 300 houses were damaged after strong winds accompanied by heavy rains struck Eda’ga Arbi town in Central Tigray, local officials said.
The woreda administration told local media that the winds hit the town around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, causing extensive damage to both private and government property.
Several electricity poles were also knocked down, some catching fire as a result. A committee has been established to assess the extent of the damage, while authorities are calling for urgent support to assist affected residents. No casualties have been reported so far.
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