Regional integration, especially in infrastructure like that of energy, is a valuable step in boosting the economic progress of East Africa. To realize this, countries in the region need to expressly support Ethiopia’s endeavor in developing hydropower sector.
Kenya has recently told Ethiopian Ambassador that construction of the renaissance dam will contribute highly to the economic integration of the region.
Speaker of Kenyan Parliament Justine Muturi told Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya Meles Alem that Ethiopians have a right to develop their natural resources. Meles on his part said the benefit of the dam is not only to Ethiopia but also the whole region.
According to International Hydropower Association, Ethiopia has some of the richest water resources in Africa, distributed across eight major basins with an exploitable hydropower potential of 45,000 MW. This is indeed a huge potential that can be utilized for multipurpose development endeavor both at home and across borders.
Ethiopia is also rapidly expanding its transmission and distribution network in order to light up the country. Currently it has stretched its electric power connection with 100 MW to Sudan and 50 MW to Djibouti. The 1,000 km Eastern Electricity Highway Project (500 kV) is progressing smoothly and will be capable of exporting 2,000 MW to Kenya upon completion.
Changing all these resources in to reality needs a lot of effort that brings together economic political commitment of all countries in the region. Hence Ethiopia needs due support for its ambition of becoming the ‘energy hub’ of Eastern Africa.
Ethiopia has passed through formidable challenges to realize its goal of developing its natural resources especially building hydropower dams on many of the cross border rivers. In the construction of some of the dams it was able to tackle economic and technical challenges through its economic and diplomatic cooperation.
Especially at this point in time Ethiopia is contending challenge from Egypt in its effort to build the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As usual it is undertaking the construction of the dam while pursuing all the necessary dialogues with riparian countries especially Sudan and Egypt that are the major stakeholders.
In spite of the continuous efforts of Egypt to disrupt the construction, and then the water filling of the Dam, Ethiopia has continued its unreserved efforts of building dam while continuing its dialogue for a win-win solution.
Even though Ethiopia is speeding up its construction of the dam without expecting any support or permission to do so from any side, countries especially riparian’s of the Nile as well as all other Eastern Africa should express solidarity so as to put in place a speedy integration of the region through the energy infrastructure.
The Ethiopian Herald Jun 20,2020
