The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project Manager, Mr Simegnew Bekele, during an inspection tour of the 40km development at the border with Sudan on March 31, 2015. The dam is expected to begin power generation this year (Photo: AFP)
The project manager of Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was found dead in the capital Addis Ababa on Thursday, state media reported.
Simegnew Bekele was the public face of the dam being built near the country's western border with Sudan that, when completed, will be Africa's largest.
The state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate said Simegnew "has been found dead in his car at Meskel Square," in the centre of Addis Ababa.
"The cause of his death is unknown," Fana added.
In May, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia agreed to set up a scientific committee to study the dam's impact.
The renaissance dam is one of several "mega-projects" Ethiopia is pursuing that include railways and industrial parks aimed at transforming its economy and pulling the country out of poverty.
Construction started in 2011, and two of its 16 turbines are scheduled to start producing power in 2018, the Ethiopian authorities said earlier this year.
Simegnew's death is the second of a high-profile company official in recent months.
In May, gunmen ambushed and killed Deep Kamra, the country manager for Nigeria's Dangote Cement, alongside two others in the Oromia region outside Addis Ababa.
This story has been edited by Ahram online.
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