With the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared that "The Ethiopia before the dam and the Ethiopia after the dam are different." He stated that the project has opened a new chapter for the nation, significantly improving its geopolitical standing.

The Prime Minister described the GERD as a monumental achievement, finally resolving a question that has preoccupied Ethiopians for thousands of years. He drew a sharp contrast between the dam and other recent national challenges, noting that while issues like the Red Sea have a history of only 30 years, the Abay River has been a concern for millennia.

"A generation that has solved this problem will not bow to other challenges," he declared. The Prime Minister added that in the coming years, Ethiopia will launch and complete many more projects of a similar scale.

According to Abiy, the completion of the GERD has several powerful implications. First, it serves as a definitive answer to those who feared the dam would cause negative side effects. "We are seeing that it has brought no single negative impact," he stated.

Second, he said, the project stands as a testament against "internal traitors" who were working on behalf of various external entities. More than anything, the dam's completion has demonstrated the immense and unwavering unity of the Ethiopian people.