I have read the article on the ongoing negotiation between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). There are important facts that I have to highlight first. Ethiopia is the source of the Blue Nile and contributes 86% of the water. The GERD is the first major project the country is building on this River Basin. It is the symbol of the African Renaissance. The GERD is a hydroelectric generating dam, which Ethiopia is building on its rightful and equitable share over the Nile using its own finance.
While noting the effort of the writer to bring the matter to the attention of his readers, I thought I should add my voice to bring a more balanced perspective on what transpired during the ongoing negotiation. As an Ethiopian-Israeli, I follow this very closely.
The writer talks at length why Egypt is “justifiably’’ worried about the Dam. It is regrettable that he does not equally present the facts about Ethiopia. Ethiopia, the second-most populous nation in Africa, has suffered from consecutive severe droughts. Ethiopians faced existential challenges due to a lack of water and electricity. Millions of Ethiopians had perished due to famine. The issues of food security, water scarcity, and energy deficit are critical and daily challenges to millions of Ethiopians. This is not about the choice of comfort and luxury rather it is about basic livelihood and sustenance; it is about how to meet the day to day fundamental needs of the Ethiopian people.
The readers would like to know why the Dam is vital for Ethiopia. More than 60 million Ethiopians don’t have access to electricity and they are living under abject poverty while their country is the source of the longest river in the world. In all reasonable accounts, it is very legitimate that Ethiopia is building a dam on a river that it is endowed with to meet the urgent development needs of its growing population. For Ethiopia, the Dam is justifiably the right thing to do. If a poor country like Ethiopia does not use its resources, its very existence would, no doubt, be in question. Hence, generating electricity is necessary to reduce poverty, create jobs for its millions of youth.
On the GERD negotiation, Ethiopia has demonstrated its commitment to foster cooperation and attainment of a win-win outcome. With the launch of the project in 2011, Ethiopia invited Egypt and Sudan for consultation and initiated a series of platforms. However, progress in the negotiations is stalled due to the conducts of Egypt. Even then, Ethiopia has been dedicated to complete the negotiation on the guidelines and rules for the first filling and operation of the GERD.