Ethiopia has plenty of patience to inform the world its genuine stance concerning the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
But the country cannot afford to delay the water filling process by hook or crook. Once all the necessary construction works come to an end, the filling of water will take shape in next to no time. More to the point, the flagship project is a matter of survival that even kids at primary schools have made contributions in its realization, deducting money from their pocket.
The last negotiations on the filling and releasing of waters which involved the U.S. Department of Treasury and the World Bank as observers had also proven the country’s firm stance— non-harming downstream countries and protecting its natural rights to equitably use the waters.
To this point, the Egyptian negotiators have never brought a feasible and fair solution to the table. Also, the tactics they switch from time to time have wasted various opportunities to reach a solid agreement.
Since its inception, Ethiopia’s doors have been wide-open to downstream countries to clear any wrong perception held concerning the flagship project. No other country allowed the collection of information firsthand while building a dam on trans-boundary Rivers. But Ethiopia green-lighted the International Panel of Experts (IPoE) to visit the Dam’s site, in addition to availing all the required data to the IPoE.
Our country will keep seizing every available opportunity to tell the brotherly and sisterly people of Egypt that our future is bound together by the Nile River System. Why do we harm our kin then? But the people of Egypt should know that over 50 percent of the population of Ethiopia is still living in blackouts. And only 23 percent of the rural poor have access to electricity.
Women still waste their time collecting firewood from distant places, often increasing their vulnerability to rape, abduction, and what have you.
Rational Egyptians would understand the goal that we set to lift millions of Ethiopian from the abyss of poverty. The reckless tactics of Egyptian politicians aimed at ruining negotiations at the eleventh hour must be condemned and the players should come to a genuine cooperation table.
The Ethiopian Herald January 17/2020
