BY STAFF REPORTER
Since Ethiopia started building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) Egypt and Sudan have been busy spreading false information that lack technical evidence. On Ethiopia’s side, in addition to the efforts of government officials some self-initiated Ethiopians scholars are working hard to fill the information gap through international media.
One of such scholars is prospective Dr. Meka Abdella. She is a teacher at Yirgalem Medical College. Now she is reflecting Ethiopia’s stance on GERD on the Arabic Channel of Al Jazeera. EPA has interviewed Meka recently on her activities of defending her country’s interest. Excerpts:
How do you describe Ethiopians’ current feelings on the Nile and their involvement in completing the dam?
Ethiopians have never used the Nile. It carries our water and soil to the lower riparian countries. All Ethiopians were upset about this. When the project was announced, it was welcomed by all Ethiopians. Every Ethiopian has been contributing to the construction of the dam at our own expense. Both the rich and the poor bought bonds in the name of their children. More than 21 per cent of Ethiopia’s population lives below the poverty line. About 65 million of our population does not have access to electricity.
The people know that it is an important milestone in the development of Ethiopia and has been supported by the people from the beginning. That is why the people are constantly supporting and participating. Given the participation of Ethiopians and the current state of the dam, I feel ready to pay the price. Many are ready to face any challenge. People both at home and abroad see the Ethiopian dam on the positive side.
Even in the Arab world, many people build houses and voluntarily buy bonds for the dam. So far, some Ethiopians have contributed the full amount for nine years. It is a project in which the mothers who sell at Gulit are involved and the public is not interested. In the meantime, the dam needs to be strengthened. I believe that the moral support that the people are giving in various ways will be strengthened to the end. I have great hopes that the day will come when the dam will be completed and Ethiopians will benefit.
Much has been done to make the Arab world aware of Ethiopian reality in its language regarding the Renaissance Dam; you can also go to Al Jazeera and send a message: What is the basis for this?
I was educated in Sudan; That’s where I got my bachelor’s degree. I had the opportunity to see the Nile River in Khartoum, Sudan. I know how much they are using the river and building a lot of entertainment in the city and making money. They also work on large-scale farms along the river and get a lot of produce. When I saw this, I felt that we Ethiopians could one day benefit from the Nile. Later, when I came to Ethiopia from Sudan while working at Mizan Tepe University, the government announced that the foundation stone of the Renaissance Dam had been laid.
We then gathered on the campus to welcome the start of the dam and to be informed of our participation. When teachers in Sudan asked me how I felt, I told them that I was happy. When the construction of the dam began, neither the Sudanese nor the Egyptians complained. They did not create many challenges at the time, perhaps because they were thinking of ways to build on their own.
After a while, the Egyptians began to question the fact that the dam project, which they did not expect to happen and that required a lot of resources, continued to work out of their own pockets. After seeing the commitment of Ethiopians to the dam, they began to pose many obstacles. They began to spread false information about the Nile Dam in the media, social media and person. I wondered why I did not begin to tell the truth when the Egyptians continued to spread false rumors that Ethiopia was going to be deprived of water.
We Ethiopians transmit information in Amharic only for internal use. On the contrary, I wondered how our voices could be heard because we were surrounded by the Arab world. I wondered why I did not contribute my share when I had the potential to reach the people of the Arab world. Of course, I was not comfortable doing that. I am currently studying for a master’s degree, and I need more time to study. But in the short time I have, I have been spreading information about the Nile and Ethiopia in the international media and various ways to do what I have to contribute to my country.
I am announcing the reality of my country to the world, especially to the Arab world, on the Al Jazeera Arabic language channel and in various forums. My motivation for defending my country’s rights stems from the fact that the Egyptian and Sudanese authorities are trying to correct the false information.
Scholars point out that more than individual efforts are needed to inform the reality of the Renaissance Dam issue; what approach is needed in this regard?
To begin with, I started writing about the dam on my initiative and started posting some information on Facebook. I have tried to reach out to a few people in Arabic while writing about the Nile and the Ethiopians claim for fair use. For many years we lived alone, but we did not have an organized approach. We will be exchanging ideas with our friends in Sudan and Egypt as well as in other countries. We tried our best to make our voices heard.
Later, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of our diplomats, Sultan Abagisa, began to gather people to write and debate the Renaissance Dam in Arabic. I joined that group and began to work in an organized way. Then we were able to produce visible results. The people of the Arab world are beginning to understand Ethiopia’s problem. We have also been able to produce people in Yemen, Sudan and other countries who support Ethiopia’s ideas. Our work has also come to the fore as we work together in groups to explain Ethiopia’s interests and rights to the international media.
As a group, we have the opportunity to respect the rights of our country and to correct the misinformation that Egypt is spreading in the Arab world. We are working as a team, each one of us throwing stones at each other. Therefore, it is important to take individual efforts as a team. In this way, if others can work harder on the issue of the Renaissance Dam, the result will be better as a country. If we act as a group of people who advocate for our country on social media and in the international media, our creativity as a nation will be significant.
There is no doubt that the lower riparian countries need to be protected from false information in an organized group. To do this, it is necessary to analyze the information in places where false information is spread and make the public aware of the facts.
What do you think is the reason why Sudan has said that it will benefit the Renaissance Dam for the past nine years, but now it will hurt the construction of the dam?
I think this idea is not for all Sudanese, but some Sudanese officials. When you look at the feelings of the people, you know that the dam will benefit them. Some of its officials are influenced by Egypt, but they are not unaware of the benefits of dams. Egyptian intelligence agencies are working to impose their will on the Sudanese. Some officials are affected by this. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi has said nothing good about Ethiopia, especially since she came to power. Your speech on Ethiopia is also arrogant.
I heard that when she was preparing to leave for Egypt, she was denied entry by Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdock and told him that Sudan and Egypt had different demands. The Sudanese also called him Egypt’s foreign minister. This indicates that Egypt is under pressure from the Sudanese authorities. Therefore, the change in the position of some Sudanese officials on the Nile Dam is not their own but is based on the interests of others, especially Egypt. It is important to note that the rumours that the dam will benefit them in the past are not because of their ideas but because of the agenda of others.
Sudanese attempt to confuse Benishangul-Gumuz region over Renaissance Dam Given the issue of Ethiopia’s sovereignty in this regard, what kind of work should be done as a country?
I think the Sudanese issue in Benishangul Gumuz is also intended to cause problems in Ethiopia. They say that if Ethiopia does not accept the 1959 colonial agreement on the partition of the Nile River, we will not accept the 1902 border agreement. Water agreements and boundary agreements are completely different issues. The African Union (AU) has also stated that colonial-
era agreements are invalid and the water-sharing agreement is invalid. Therefore, no one accepts their ideas; their argument is fundamentally unreasonable. Historically, in the history of Ethiopia and the people of Benishangul Gumuz, during the Adwa war, about 5,000 Benishangul Gumuz people marched against Emperor Menelik II in Adwa. Therefore, even before the 1902 agreement, Benishangul-Gumuz was part of Ethiopia, so what they are trying to create now is not watertight.
They raised the issue intending to exert pressure on the construction of the Renaissance Dam. He also said that the site of the dam is Sudanese. If we look at it from a broader perspective, it is important to understand the connection between Benishangul Gumuz and the security situation in the area.
They raise the issue, even if it is unacceptable because they are trying to disrupt the environment. It is known that there are problems in the area that have led to displacement and loss of life. Sudan and Egypt are the instigators of the conflict. Recently, Egyptian media reported that it was donating money to the Benishangul-Gumuz militia to divide the region. Therefore, it is not necessary to ignore the issue. Ethiopia should closely monitor the activities of Sudan and Egypt in connection with the Benishangul Gumuz region. The issue is so serious that it is important to keep an eye on every issue.
Conflicts in the region should be resolved quickly and the problem should not be a gateway to foreign powers. Given that the Renaissance Dam is not a big national project, I think the government will also provide strong protection around the dam. In addition to providing strong security, Ethiopia must stabilize the region and resolve the conflict in Benishangul Gumuz sustainably. In that case, the problems of both Sudan and Egypt can be stopped.
With 263 transboundary lakes and rivers and more than 45,000 dams, the influence of the lower riparian countries is limited, but why did Egypt and Sudan make such an impact on the Renaissance Dam?
It is because of colonial agreements that Egypt and Sudan have had such an impact on the Nile River and the dam. Under a colonial agreement, a 1959 treaty that separated Ethiopia divided Nile water between Sudan and Egypt. Under the terms of the agreement, they have agreed to share 78 per cent of the river’s water with Egypt and 12 per cent with Sudan. Colonialism also saw its interests in enforcing the treaty from Japan. Because it had irrigated cotton farms in the country and it made an agreement that did not include Ethiopia.
Ethiopia was a not colony at the time, but they did not want to share it. The fact that they did not call Ethiopia to the treaty may be a sign of contempt for the colonialists. The then Ethiopian leader, Emperor Haile Selassie, opposed the agreement. They presented their objections to the authorities. The signatories have been dominating the Nile. Now, however, Sudan and Egypt have made a difference by saying that they will work with that past agreement. With their previous experience in using the water, they argue that the dam will not be lost. As a result of their arguments and interests, they were influenced.
Their unwillingness to use the Nile water equally speaks volumes, and their impact is significant. Colonial agreements do not work at the moment, and their chances of exerting their influence will be diminished as they acknowledge that Ethiopia should be a fair beneficiary of the river and when the dam is fully operational.
What do you think is the reason why Egypt and Sudan want the US and other parties to be directly involved in the tripartite dam negotiations?
The reasons are the same. The United States, the European Union, and the United Nations want to be directly involved in the negotiations because of indirect pressure on Ethiopia. She thinks Egypt can protect its interests by isolating the West from the African Union. We have seen that the United States, which is coordinating the negotiations, has been supporting Egypt through former President Donald Trump. The president boasted that Egypt could bomb the dam. Egypt also wants to take advantage of this influence of the United States and others.
They want the West to influence Ethiopia to the point of imposing sanctions and to stop the construction of the dam from outside the African Union. The Security Council requested that in addition to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s ongoing inspections in Iran, that it monitor Iran’s compliance with “the steps required by the IAEA Board”.
This is something that the Egyptians are supporting. Judging in this way is a huge loss for the Ethiopian people. He has no qualms about making such a decision. Because we are in poverty, Foreign exchange is constantly rising, and when the dam is delayed, the cost is the same. Therefore, Ethiopia must intensify its pressure to continue the dialogue through the African Union. If you think about it the right way, it is the African Union that is more relevant to the Nile issue. Because the Nile is an African river, all 11 Nile Basin countries are located in Africa.
The Union is well aware of the problems in the Nile issue. He also can resolve disagreements. Sudan and Egypt will continue to accept Ethiopia’s commitment to continue the talks under the auspices of the African Union. A few days ago, the Sudanese said they wanted the talks to continue under the auspices of the African Union. So they will return to negotiations and the tripartite talks should continue under the auspices of the African Union to reduce the influence of Egypt and Sudan.
What do you think Ethiopia needs to do with Egypt and Sudan in the run-up to the second round of water supply?
Egypt has cooled down over the Renaissance Dam. Earlier, Egypt’s Ministry of Water and Irrigation said it would not harm its people and that there would be enough water in the event of a crisis. This shows that they are convinced that there is nothing to stop Ethiopia from carrying out the second round filling. Sudan and Egypt have been vocal in recent months as Ethiopia has done its part and built a geopolitical perspective on electricity generation. If Ethiopia switches to generating electricity through the dam, it will be influential in politics and the region.
Therefore, Ethiopia needs to intensify its construction work alongside diplomacy and start generating electricity as soon as possible. The timely completion of the second dam has greatly contributed to this work. The Egyptians will make every effort to thwart Ethiopia’s goal and generate electricity after the filling. Diplomatic efforts are expected not only from the government but also from competing parties and various institutions. It should be acknowledged that the Nile Dam is not a political agenda but a public resource. In this case, political parties must be able to stand together.
So far, I have not noticed that political parties have at least issued statements to defend the dam from Egypt and Sudan. Egypt and Sudan should have been able to show their solidarity with the government while the warlords were fighting and to say that the warlord was not right.
In addition to the parties, the people should at least stand together in the affairs of the country until the water supply is completed and electricity is started. I believe this and other factors combined to give Egypt a heart. But I think if we do the second dam, we will not be able to do it. Since then, things have calmed down and I believe that Ethiopia’s right to use its resources will be more respected.
Egypt and Sudan conduct military exercises at different times; Some observers have suggested that Egypt could wage a direct war, while others have argued that the proxy war should be avoided. What is expected of Ethiopia in this regard?
I don’t think the countries are going to war in the face of the Renaissance Dam, but they are practising war to intimidate Ethiopia. Or they will not be able to hit the dam with a weapon. Failure to do so could result in severe penalties under international law, including sanctions. So, even Egypt would not be able to go to war directly.
Given Sudan’s border dispute with Sudan over its border dispute, it is understandable that it was influenced by Egypt in connection with the Renaissance Dam tension. Egypt’s foreign minister has made it clear that he supports Sudan’s efforts to secure its borders.
Ethiopia has been patient and has not allowed the conflict to escalate. If Ethiopia had not taken a stand on the border issue diplomatically, the damage would have been huge. This does not please the aggressors. Historically, the Egyptians tried to invade Ethiopia twice in the 19th century but failed.
On the other hand, it is likely to intervene in our internal affairs and support the insurgents. She is doing it. If we can think things over, they will create a big problem for Ethiopia. The assassination of artist Hachalu Hundesa was planned [to hamper] the first round filling.
I think this practice has something to do with Egypt. At the time, however, the Ethiopian people were sensible and took control of the problem. There is nothing that Egypt can do to stop the dam from disrupting Ethiopia.
I remember two weeks before the TPLF’s attack on the Northern Command, an Egyptian investor said on Twitter that 80 per cent of Ethiopia’s weapons were in Tigray. The Tigray region is also writing that it is rebelling.
Therefore, the Egyptians want to create an incessant conflict in Ethiopia and use every opportunity to use the Nile alone. Conflicts continue to erupt in various parts of the country after the announcement of the second round of flooding. They support various groups to bring Ethiopia out of chaos.
They try to exploit our inner peace. Although they have some allies, the Ethiopian people know the pros and cons and their plots will not work in the end.
What is expected of the people to withstand the overall influence of Egypt and Sudan and to prevent the lower riparian countries from fulfilling their goals in Ethiopia?
To withstand the pressure of Egypt and Sudan, we must first strengthen our internal unity. The public must understand this. There is a problem, of course, but in our current situation, we need unity, at least in the face of external adversity.
Sudan, on the other hand, was motivated by an internal conflict. They are thinking that we can attack at this time because Ethiopia is weakened by the multifaceted problems it is facing. In the case of the Nile, they are rushing to enforce the treaty because they think Ethiopia is weak. Foreign enemies think that now is the time to do what they want, thinking that Ethiopia cannot withstand the onslaught.
The solution is to strengthen internal unity. We need to reduce the problems that aggravate the suffering of the people and pave the way for the unification of the country. At the same time, they realize that countries that have the heart to put pressure on Ethiopia will not succeed.
Thank you
You are welcome
BY STAFF REPORTER
The Ethiopian Herald may 11/2021
