Somalia’s President Welcomes GERD as Symbol of Regional Unity

Somalia’s President Welcomes GERD as Symbol of Regional Unity

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 9, 2025 (citizensom.com) — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) marks a new chapter of regional partnership, expressing hope that the project will foster cooperation among neighboring countries.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in Addis Ababa alongside African leaders, President Mohamud emphasized that the dam should not be seen solely as a national project, but as a collective responsibility to manage and share resources for the prosperity of all.

"It is a privilege to be here at a moment that brings together the people of this region around an issue of common importance: how we manage, share, and benefit from resources that sustain our nations’ prosperity," President Mohamud said.

The Somali leader underscored that natural resources, particularly water, transcend borders and must be used to strengthen unity rather than competition.

“Water and natural resources cross borders, binding our destinies and future together. Development in this region must be guided not by competition, but by cooperation,” he told the gathering.

Mohamud stressed that inclusive development was key to lasting peace and prosperity, warning that no country should feel excluded or left to shoulder the burden of managing shared resources alone.

“No nation should feel excluded, and no nation should bear the burden alone. Today’s inauguration reminds us that our true achievement lies in partnership, in sustaining trust, and in building unity for generations to come,” he said.

He further urged countries in the Nile Basin and across Africa to embrace collaboration as a path toward progress.

“When our people are united across borders, we can achieve what was once considered impossible. Upstream and downstream nations alike can only prosper when we act as a community,” he said.

President Mohamud concluded by noting that just as countries have faced shared challenges and sacrifices, they must now commit to sharing resources that sustain life and development.

The GERD, located on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region, is Africa’s largest hydroelectric project. It has long been a subject of regional negotiations, with Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt in particular debating its impact on water security.

By highlighting GERD as a symbol of partnership, Somalia’s leader aligned his country with a vision of cooperation over competition in the management of shared resources.