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Ethiopia says a controversial mega-dam it is building on the Blue Nile will start producing electricity within a month.
The country’s water ministry’s announcement comes as the two downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, continue to fear the dam will affect their essential water supplies.
The $ 5 billion (£ 3.6 billion) project aims to provide electricity to tens of millions of Ethiopians, which could transform people’s lives and the economy.
Speaking to the BBC, Water Minister Sileshi Bekele said that the first 750 megawatts of electricity will be produced by two of the dam’s turbines.
When completed, the dam should generate eight times that amount.
The project has sparked tensions between Ethiopia and its neighbors, with Egypt and Sudan worried about droughts and water security.
But, at a time when Ethiopia is embroiled in a costly civil war, this is rare good news for many in the country.
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