Over all construction works on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) construction, which celebrates the 9th anniversary of the commencement on April 2, reaches 72.4 percent, according to the Project Manager Engineer Kifle Horo.
Eng. Kifle further said as per the schedule, Ethiopia will start filling the dam from July 2020.
The installation of the two units which planned to generate power early with a generating capacity of 750 MW is ongoing. During the first filling phase, Ethiopia plans to store 4.9 BMC water and to generate the first power from GERD in late 2020.
Ethiopians are under fury due to the delay of their flagship project, GERD, which was expected to complete two years ago. Now they are contributing eagerly and waiting for the completion of the project with a hope to facilitate their battle against poverty.
Parallel with the construction, Ethiopians are looking at Egypt’s activities seriously and requesting U.S. and WBs support to Egypt’s biased interests.
According to Ethiopian scholars, accepting Egypt’s proposal on GERD is against the 2030 WBs twin goals and the 17 SDGs. The WB on its twin goals for 2030 pointed out “all countries aspire to rapid and sustained increases in living standards for all citizens, not just the already privileged”.
But many Ethiopians see WB and U.S. stance with “the privileged”, citing the facts of Egypt and Ethiopia. Egypt fulfills 100 percent access to energy while 70 million Ethiopians have no access to energy yet whereas all Egyptians have access to potable water while more than 35 million Ethiopians still do not.
Egypt’s per capita income is three folds better than Ethiopia and Egypt’s energy supply is 10 folds than greater than Ethiopia.
In a high level dialogue forum on GERD and Nile recently, Dr. Yonas Biru said that accepting and implementing Egypt’s filling proposal on GERD forces Ethiopia to postpone the 2030 SDGs and WB goals by 20 years.
For him GERD has direct linkage with the twin goals of WB and with the 17 goals of SDGs. Dr. Yonas said that WB and other international actors should consider the facts on the ground for the proper implementation of international plans in their activities.
He added that GERD is not luxury for Ethiopians; it is the matter of life and death as a key development project to eradicate and eliminate poverty which is crucial to attain the country’s SDGs.
Ethiopia Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Engineer Seleshi Bekele (PhD) on an article published this week at The Ethiopian Herald stated that Ethiopians “are remaining in perpetual poverty, deprivation and existential threats because of lack of development”.
Ethiopia is building GERD “to alleviate poverty and build its economy”, Seleshi said adding that “no country is affected in the past as Ethiopia because of drought and water shortage”. Seleshi’s concern has direct linkage with the twin goals of WB which focuses on the disadvantaged than the privileged.
“Generating adequate energy to pump water, to manage water for drinking and productive uses, to sustain education and health, to build economy and other similar functions in Ethiopia has no alternative other than realizing GERD and other similar projects”, Minister Seleshi stated. These sectors listed by Dr. Seleshi are also the key goals of the 17 SDGs.
According to WB, the twin goals to achieve by 2030 worldwide are to “end extreme poverty and promote shared property”, the shared property implies “sustainable increase in the well-being of the poorer segments of the society”. But, many saw the WB and U.S. stances as standing for the privileged since the poor country; Ethiopia is providing 77 BMC water every year to Egypt without using a single drop, but still remain the poorest country.
The UN initiated 17 SDGs, which WB has signed a treaty with for the achievement of the goals, targets in areas of poverty reduction, clean energy, job creation, eliminating hunger, health, education to end poverty in a single generation.
“No poverty” goal-1, “zero hanger”-goal-2, “clean energy” goal-7, “climate action” goal-12, “economic growth” goal-8, “Industry and Infrastructure” goal-9 have a direct linkage with GERD’s life changing goal for the people of Ethiopia.
As the WB deeply knows, over 23 percent of Ethiopian population is living under poverty line. While the energy source for 60 percent of Ethiopian population is from unsuitable sources. This is against renewable energy, climate action, zero hangers, eliminating poverty and industry and infrastructure goals of SDG.
As Ethiopian economy is among the fastest growing economy in the world, the country’s energy demand is increasing by 13 percent per year where the current Ethiopia’s energy production is limited to 4,400 MG.
Besides, Ethiopia has ambitious plans to build a climate resilient development and to become low middle income country by 2025. For the successful implementation of all this plans of the country, basically to eliminate poverty, developing its source of energy using its natural resources is not a matter of choice.
At this time access for clean water is inalienable human right for citizens. And hunger, poverty and lack of health access are among the internationally declared enemies of the world population by the major international actors.
Ethiopia is building GERD to fight these enemies of the people based on the international principles. Hence, Ethiopians are calling international actors to be loyal for international principles for proper implementation of international plans and goals.
The Ethiopian Herald April 4/2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
