ACCRA, Sept 9 (The African Portal)– Kenyan President William Ruto has announced that his country is ready to sign a power purchase agreement with Ethiopia to offtake surplus electricity from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
He said the move would power Kenya’s industries, ICT hubs, manufacturing, and agro-processing sectors, while boosting competitiveness, creating jobs, and driving sustainable growth.
President Ruto hailed the dam as a bold affirmation of Africa’s ability to marshal its own resources and shape its destiny. Funded entirely by the Ethiopian people, the GERD is Africa’s largest hydropower facility, with an estimated capacity of 6,450 megawatts. He described it as “more than an infrastructure project” and a continental symbol of self-reliance and progress.
“The dam offers immense promise for Kenya. No nation should be denied the chance to build such transformative assets because, with time, they become shared sources of prosperity,” President Ruto wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, September 9.
While celebrating the milestone, he also acknowledged the differing perspectives among Nile Basin countries. He reaffirmed Kenya’s support for the equitable use of shared waters and urged Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan to continue trilateral talks in good faith.
“Dialogue and compromise remain the surest path to a fair agreement that safeguards prosperity and stability for all,” he stressed.
President Ruto commended Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Ethiopian people for what he described as a remarkable achievement.
