A general view of Tanzania s Julius Nyerere Dam. Photo: Egyptian Cabinet.
Titled “From the Nile to Rufiji”, the film chronicles the construction of the dam and hydropower station on the Rufiji River, a project that Egypt says reflects its growing role in infrastructure development across Africa.
The documentary follows the work of more than 12,000 engineers and workers involved in the project, highlighting the engineering and logistical challenges of building the dam in a remote area under difficult environmental conditions, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also examines the project's technical specifications, including the 131-metre-high dam and the hydropower station's installed capacity of 2,115 megawatts.
Once fully operational, the facility is expected to more than double Tanzania's electricity generation capacity while also helping to regulate flooding.
The film features interviews with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Arab Contractors Chairman Ahmed El-Assar, Elsewedy Electric CEO Ahmed El-Sewedy, project managers and other officials and experts discussing the project's engineering, economic and diplomatic significance.
Filmed on location, the documentary highlights the logistical challenges of constructing the project in a protected nature reserve approximately seven hours by road from Dar es Salaam.
It also examines efforts to preserve the surrounding ecosystem and wildlife while maintaining construction throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The documentary also explores the human stories of the workers involved and the broader historical ties between Egypt and Tanzania.
The dam construction is almost complete, and some of its turbines are operational.
The $2.9 billion dam is expected to solve the country's electricity shortage problem by providing clean power for more than 60 million Tanzanians.
The energy generated will be transmitted at a voltage of 400 kilovolts to a substation, where it will be integrated into the national electricity grid.
The project, which has been under construction since 2019, fully financed by the Tanzanian government, is providing work to 8,000 Tanzanians, 1,000 Egyptians, and other foreign workers.
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