Hailemariam Desalegn discusses GERD as a model for African self-reliance

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Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn presented the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a primary model for African self-reliance at the Africa Mindset Reset Forum in Kigali. He highlighted that Ethiopia initiated the dam project using domestic financing and bond purchases from its own citizens after failing to secure conventional international funding. Hailemariam argued that this approach demonstrated how African nations can leverage their own resources, institutions, and human capital to challenge narratives of dependency and drive national development.

Consequences

The promotion of the GERD as a development model may encourage other African nations to prioritize domestic resource mobilization and strategic national infrastructure projects to reduce reliance on external financial assistance. This could lead to a broader regional shift toward prioritizing continental agency and collective investment strategies to strengthen local economic independence.

Sources

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