Remembering the Journey: The GERD Dispute and the Promise of Diplomacy

Aug 7, 2025 | Seble Getachew
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It is important to remember those early days of the GERD dispute, when there was genuine hope that dialogue and diplomacy would prevail. Back in January 2020, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said it plainly: “There must be a way in which a solution can be found” when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had asked him to mediate the tense dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and Ramaphosa accepted with real optimism, believing a peaceful resolution was possible.