Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is Africa’s biggest hydroelectric project. It is a great step forward for Ethiopia’s development, but it is also a source of conflict with Egypt and Sudan, which depend on the Nile River for almost all of their water.

In this episode of Down to Business English, Skip Montreux and Samantha Vega talk about how the GERD was built, why Ethiopia needs it, and why its neighbors are worried about its impact. They also look at how the project could bring both opportunities and risks to East Africa’s energy and business sectors.

Skip and Samantha’s conversation will help you understand how business, development, and international relations are connected — while improving your Business English vocabulary. Key points of their discussion include:


What the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is and why it is important.
How Ethiopia raised most of the money for the dam without foreign loans.
How the dam could help Ethiopia sell electricity to other countries.
Why this project may cause conflict with neighboring countries.







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