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The Nile dam is expected to produce as much energy as six nuclear power stations for one of the world’s poorest states, but the population may pay a high price.

For Ethiopia, this “Renaissance Dam”, as the Ethiopians have nicknamed it, brings the promise of irrigated agriculture and energy independence.

However, the project is controversial. Damming a river has implications for everyone who lives nearby and anyone who makes a living on the waterway.

Downstream countries – Sudan, and especially Egypt – also see the project as a threat. Although diplomatic tensions, which were high at the project’s launch, have eased somewhat, the dam continues to cause concern.