The newly appointed Ethiopian President, Taye Atske Selassie was sworn in on Monday during the joint session of the House of People’s Representatives and the House of Federation.
In his speech before the two chambers, Selassie said that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a huge project that represents Ethiopia’s outstanding achievement in its modern history.
The construction of the dam and its fifth round of water filling have been completed, he said, which represents a major milestone in the country’s development journey.
Taye also revealed the completion of civil engineering work on it.
He explained that the dam is not only a vital source of electricity, but also meets the country’s long-awaited national aspirations.
According to the Ethiopian state-owned Fana Broadcasting Corporate website, Taye added that the successful construction of the GERD demonstrates Ethiopia’s ability to achieve its development goals on its own.
He said that the dam will benefit neighboring countries, enhance regional development and reduce risks associated with river basin management, stressing that this year represents a great victory for Ethiopia.
A former ambassador to Egypt
He served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Egypt for a year and a half between 2017 and 2018.
Taye concluded his service in Egypt in 2018 by holding a press conference, in which he stressed the strength of bilateral relations between the two countries over the past two years.
He assured of Ethiopia’s firm commitment to Egypt’s interest in the Nile waters regarding the GERD, praising Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s handling of the entire issue by supporting dialogue between the two parties, enabling an atmosphere that allowed them to manage the issue rationally.
