She made the remark while addressing the general debate of the 74th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The Government of Ethiopia is building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile mainly to generate hydroelectric power, she said.

Nearly, 65 million Ethiopians do not have access to electricity, she said.

“The utilization of the Nile waters offers a unique opportunity for our trans-boundary cooperation between the sisterly countries of the region. It should never be an object of competition and mistrust.”

Ethiopia strongly believes that the utilization of the Nile River shall be based on the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization of natural resources causing no significant harm, she noted.

In her address, the President also mentioned the major political, legal, and economic reforms introduced since April 2018.

“We have widened the political space releasing jailed political prisoners and journalists, inviting exiled political parties to return home and pursue peaceful struggle.”

She added electoral, anti-terrorism and Civil Society Organization laws were revised and also ending 20-year conflict with Eritrea.

The government initiated liberalization of the economy and launched a homegrown economic reform agenda to address emerging macroeconomic imbalances and resolve structural bottlenecks.

She further said Ethiopia is committed to implement the sustainable development agendas and the Paris climate agreement.

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