Yes, Africa is rising. The torchbearer, Ethiopia, has once again proven that Africa can prosper with its own resources and finance—developmental feats are possible without a need to solely depend on external financial sources.
Countries downstream the Nile River should embrace the hard fact—that the GERD water impoundment never affects the flow. Last year, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) impounded 4.9 BCM of waters within two weeks; similarly the second pooling of the Dam comes to completion in less than three weeks.
Why is that possible? Because Ethiopia scientifically studied as the hydro-dam never obstructs water flow downstream. Nobody has been affected so far.
It is high time that the fear Egypt and Sudan have developed for years regarding the dam must be turned out to be a ray of hope to provide all with a rosy future and a journey of success to declare Africa’s renaissance.
It is well recognized that the people and Government of Ethiopia are funding the project, which will not only serve Ethiopia, but Sudan and Egypt as well.
Ethiopia and Ethiopians have successfully completed the second chapter of the impoundment of the dam resisting the multifaceted and well-organized pressures thrown from within and outside. A new impetus is thus met as a new chapter is opened to help riparian countries come to the track to grow together.
The rebirth of all Ethiopians especially the over 60 million citizens, who are leading life in the darkness, is going to be declared within the shortest time possible upon completion of this grand project. Yes, Ethiopia is rigorously working not only to build the dam but also protecting the environment. The effective environmental protection and the well-organized tree plantation have had great contribution to the presence of torrential rainfall thereby easily carrying out either the first or the second dam filling in short time.
The project is not only an instrument to Ethiopia to fight poverty, but is also a viable means to foster Horn integration, all riparian countries in particular and the rest of the continent have started supporting Ethiopia’s bold move to come out of the grip of poverty and backwardness it finds itself in.
The sacred move keeping a win-win approach and equitable water share entertained by Ethiopia has to be well acknowledged and considered as a firm cooperation bond. Ethiopia has always been the source of life changing lessons for all countries of the continent. Hence, African nations have to draw important lessons from this great nation and stand by Ethiopia to boost African renaissance.
As always been said, this dam comes up with various advantages as it would increase the amount of water available for generating hydroelectric power, reduce flooding to downstream Sudan, increase water in the course as it is geographically in a place to reduce evaporation, and ensures regulated flow along the downstream.
In sum, this grand dam is playing a key role in helping Ethiopia foster development and burying sense of dependency. It should also be well understood that the issue of the GERD will never be a source of confrontation but a means for firm cooperation for all riparian countries.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD JULY 20/2021
