East Africa: Powering East Africa

Over the past years, Ethiopia has emerged as a leading actor in regional integration through power and infrastructure development in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

Prioritizing clean energy investments, particularly hydropower, the country is redefining its role from an energy importer to a regional exporter, seeking to bridge economic and developmental gaps across borders.

At the heart of this transformation lies a strong commitment to cooperative development, embodied by flagship projects such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), expanded transmission lines, cross-border road networks, and continental digital initiatives.

The country champions interconnected growth where infrastructure, trade, and energy serve as tools for uniting countries and promoting mutual prosperity. The country’s regional energy projects, including transmission line linkages with Kenya, Sudan, and Djibouti, reflect its broader diplomatic and economic approach.

The cooperation with Kenya through a 500kV transmission line, as well as energy deals with Sudan, Djibouti, and South Sudan, shows its commitment to linking the power grid of East Africa. The long-term goal is to help form a unified power pool that will stabilize energy prices and enhance energy security in the region. This is vital for attracting investments and accelerating industrial growth across East African economies, many of which face frequent power shortages and high generation costs.

The government believes that powering its neighbors is not just a business opportunity it’s a statement of solidarity, responsibility, and shared destiny. As such, these initiatives do more than light homes and power industries; they illuminate a path toward enduring regional cooperation, peace, and integration, reinforcing the idea that common resources can foster collective resilience and prosperity. With GERD, nearing completion and poised to fully generate power, regional nations are also bracing for increased electricity exports from Ethiopia.

The dam, as has been said time and time again, serves as a hallmark of regional bonanza and an impetus for collective growth. Since its launch, Ethiopia has been echoing that the flagship project will open a window of opportunities for cementing regional cooperation and promoting integration.

From ensuring transparency to cultivating trust, Ethiopia has been genuine in its objectives in constructing the dam from day one. This gesture helped diffuse tension and turn confrontation into cooperation, devoid of some hawkish acts from foreign entities. In turn, serving as a solid testament and good faith in utilizing shared resources for shared causes, the project does not only generate power but also demonstrates diplomacy through development.

The past few years indicate that boosted power plants in Ethiopia mean increased power export to regional nations. With GERD poised to see completion shortly, regional nations will have more access to Ethiopia’s electricity.

Ethiopia has walked its talk in ensuring that the construction of the dam brings no harm to downstream nations. Over the years, dozens of delegations from different professions and affiliations have paid visits to the site of the construction. Ethiopia has been allowing access to the dam even for some cynical experts and activists from downstream nations. This already gave reliable opportunities to draw credible and primary information on the dam.

The determination of the nation towards regional causes has become part and parcel of its socioeconomic and development plan. In recent years, the country’s power export has increased, with incumbent governments giving priority to neighboring nations. In addition to energy linkages, the country has also been leading by example in other infrastructural integration and shared interests, such as the green legacy initiative. These notable efforts have garnered regional attention and are imperative to building trust and amicable ties with countries near and far.

In what could be said as a continuation of its genuine position, participants of the Africa Regional Meeting of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) visited the GERD. The East Africa Regional Meeting of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) was held in Addis Ababa.

The delegation comprised intelligence and security officials and representatives from various countries who participated in the meeting. Following the meeting, the participants visited GERD, where they received an extensive update on the progress of the dam’s construction and its current operational status, according to ENA.

One of the delegates, Ter Tongyik Majok, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Peace, Development and Security Studies at the University of Juba, said the benefits of this major project go to the entire region.

“The dam has a lot of significance in terms of regional integrations. We can actually see from the background that the water is enough, the water is flowing downstream. I don’t think that there is actually a fear from the neighbors in terms of the water flow,” Majok remarked.

His comments mirror the broader view that the GERD is a catalyst for trust-building and sustainable collaboration, not just a national infrastructure project. Its strategic value transcends borders, and Ethiopia’s inclusive approach to stakeholder engagement is key in dismantling long-standing mistrust over Nile water usage.

Ethiopia’s commitment to equitable resource sharing has gone hand in hand with consistent efforts to demystify the project to concerned stakeholders. By welcoming international and regional delegations to the site and opening up about its water management plans, the country has worked to reassure downstream nations, particularly Egypt and Sudan, that the dam will not jeopardize their water security.

Moreover, the success of GERD is not just about electricity generation. It represents a symbolic and practical leap toward regional industrialization. The availability of affordable, renewable electricity could allow countries like Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Kenya to reduce reliance on diesel generators, cut energy costs, and reinvests the savings into health, education, and industrial development.

Ethiopia’s green energy strategy also aligns with Africa’s broader climate goals. As one of the few African countries investing heavily in hydro, wind, and solar energy, Ethiopia offers a model of sustainable development that other nations can learn from. Power integration backed by clean sources ensures a lower carbon footprint and can help African nations meet their climate targets under the Paris Agreement.

Equally important is the country’s role in developing physical infrastructure like roads, dry ports, and telecommunications that support regional trade and mobility. These investments are vital in unlocking landlocked economies and connecting them to global markets. The Addis Ababa- Djibouti Railway, for example, is a model of bilateral cooperation and regional integration, enabling faster movement of goods and people between Ethiopia and the Red Sea port.