Ethiopia: Grand Renaissance Dam

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) published in February 2016 a report titled "Energy Dialogues in Africa: Is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Transforming Ethiopia's Regional Role?" by Agathe Maupin, visiting senior research fellow at SAIIA.

The paper identifies challenges to energy cooperation between Ethiopia and countries in the region.  It argues that Ethiopia's ownership of the GERD, the recent trade agreement between SADC, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the East African Community, and growing interest in regional power pooling have created a timely opportunity for greater energy cooperation.  This cooperation will be sustained by an increase in power supply in the region and the shifting national perspectives on regional projects.