Egypt, Ethiopia compete to export power to Africa
Egypt's "power" diplomacy with Djibouti, Tanzania and Burundi is meant to counter Ethiopia's plan to expand electricity exports to African countries through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
A new battle between Ethiopia and Egypt has surfaced against the backdrop of the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The two African countries are now fighting over export of electricity to Africa.
Ethiopia is poised to fulfill its ambition to export electricity from the GERD. Ethiopian Ambassador to Uganda Alemtsehay Meseret held talks with Burundi’s minister of water, energy and minerals, Ibrahim Uwizeye on July 7. During the meeting, Uwizeye affirmed that his country is waiting for the completion of the dam to buy electricity from Ethiopia.
Ethiopia is working to generate about 6,000 megawatts (MW) of electric power from the GERD. In 2014, it announced its plan to export 5,000 MW of electricity to neighboring countries and Africa within 10 years.
In June 2020, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed at a parliamentary session that “Ethiopia will start exporting electricity from the GERD in 2023.”
