Prime Minister has stated that Ethiopia has not received “a single birr” in foreign financial assistance for the construction of the (GERD).

The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing the 6th Ordinary Session of the 5th Annual Working Session of the 6th Federal House of Representatives on Friday. During the session, it was confirmed that the public fundraising initiative commonly referred to as the “One Birr” campaign is not backed by international aid.

Abiy emphasized that the GERD is a symbol of Ethiopia’s sovereignty and self-determination, describing it as a project realized solely through the will and resources of the Ethiopian people and government.

“The decision to finance the dam entirely through domestic resources was made to safeguard Ethiopia’s national interests and to avoid external pressure,” the Prime Minister said, adding that Ethiopia has demonstrated its ability to implement mega projects using its own capacity.

The statement comes in response to repeated remarks by , who has indicated that the United States has not provided financial support for the construction of the dam. Prime Minister Abiy’s response serves as a public clarification reaffirming Ethiopia’s long-standing position that GERD is fully self-financed.