Ethiopian People’s Representatives and Federation Councils reopened after a two-month break.
President Sahlework Zewde announced the government’s one-year focus areas in her speech to the councils.
In her speech, the President said that the 4th round of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was the biggest success last year.
She added that the civil engineering work of Renaissance Dam, which is 90 percent complete, will be completed this year.
She mentioned that “this dam is not only a dam that generates electricity but also a source of tourism and water resources, environmental protection and moral superiority.”
In her opening speech, the President added that the government will pay special attention to the rule of law, reducing the cost of living, job creation, food security and good governance.
The president added that it is planned that Ethiopia will record economic growth of 7.9 percent by the end of the current 2016 fiscal year.
In addition to job creation in the country, over 100,000 citizens were legally sent to foreign countries to create job opportunities last year.
The total construction of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which started 12 years ago, has reached 91 percent.
This dam, being built with the money contributed by Ethiopians and the government, is the largest project in Africa, generating 5,200 megawatts of power.
Two turbines of the Renaissance Dam, each with a capacity of 350 MW, have been generating power since two years ago.
The dam has cost more than 180 billion birr so far and 60 billion birr will be needed to complete the remaining construction.
The Renaissance Dam will be completely completed in two years, and more than 40 billion cubic meters of water are currently in the dam.
