There has been no disruption to the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) despite the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region, Ethiopia's ambassador to Russia, Alemayehu Tegenu Aargau, told Sputnik in an interview
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2020) There has been no disruption to the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) despite the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region, Ethiopia's ambassador to Russia, Alemayehu Tegenu Aargau, told Sputnik in an interview.
The GERD has been under construction on the Blue Nile River since 2011 and is expected to become Africa's largest hydroelectric power plant. The conflict in Tigray, which flared up at the start of the month, has not threatened the project, Aargau said.
"We don't see any danger with regards to the construction of the dam, with regards to the law enforcement in the northern part of the country in Tigray. We are always very ready to guard our dam. We are well organized to protect our dam, so it is just like before. Nothing has changed," the ambassador remarked.
Aargau noted that the dam is being constructed in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, a significant distance away from the conflict zone in Tigray, adding that the construction of the GERD is "non-stop."
Earlier on Thursday, the Ethiopian military launched an assault on the town of Mek'ele, the capital of the Tigray region, after a 72-hour government ultimatum for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) to surrender expired.
The conflict broke out at the start of November after the government accused the TPLF of attacking a military base.
More than 40,000 refugees have fled the northern Ethiopian region into Sudan since the conflict broke out, according to the UN Refugee Agency.
