BY TEWODROS KASSA
For many thousands of years, Ethiopians have been singing the song of pain over the longest River, Abbay. The bountiful Abbay River’s water contributed nothing to Ethiopia despite flowing day and night to the downstream countries in the past. The river brushed out the most fertile alluvial soils of the country and became a major cause of soil loss.
Currently, dam’s construction is reaching its final stage of accomplishment following the active participation of Ethiopians home and abroad. Recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and Chairperson of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation on the Construction of the Dam Demeke Mekonen said that the dam has reached the final stage through the united effort of Ethiopians.
During the recent consultative forum that was held to discuss the implementation of the construction of the dam in connection with the 12th year founding anniversary of the dam Demeke said that Ethiopians have been supporting the construction of the dam without any differences since the launching.
According to him, this public participation has brought about an encouraging result that will elevate Ethiopia. Some 18 billion Birr has been collected in various ways since the laying of the cornerstone of the Abbay Haydro Dam.
The all-round activities to complete the dam have been supported by citizens that are leading the project and doing a proud work that will pass on to generations, the deputy premier and foreign minister stated. Demeke further called on all Ethiopians to participate in integrated watershed development, in addition to their support to the construction of the dam until its completion.
So far, public contribution for the Dam jumped over one billion Birr in the past eight months alone. Office of the National Council for Coordination of Public Participation in the Construction of the Abbay Hydro Dam Public Relations Director Hailu Abraham told local media that of the more than 1. 4 billion Birr has been raised by the public for the construction of the Dam.
According to him, the efforts over the last three or four years to enhance public support for the dam have registered encouraging results. Financial support was collected through bond sales and gifts, through the short text message 8100, and through the Ethiopian Electric Power Gift Account and other mechanisms.
The director further stated that a new one month-long campaign to collect over 100 million Birr from the public has already started on 25 March 2023. The office is actively working to strengthen the public’s support for the construction of the dam by organizing various programs.
Moreover, the Dam’s accomplishment will have tremendous benefits to all the riparian countries. In his recent interview with The Ethiopian Herald Sudanese media consultant and press writer on economy, development and stability concerning Africa Makki Al-Maghribi underscored the Dam’s significant contributions to all riparian countries.
“The Dam helps the Sudanese farmers to get a regulated flow during farming season and curtails risks of flooding. Sudan has vast land and can engage in farming of crops. And this is a big advantage not only for the two countries but also for the region at large. Countries should zoom in on the advantages and the positive aspects.
This is the perfect time particularly for Africa to grow and cooperate more than ever. Africans need to seize the advantage of growing together using their available resources,” he said. As to him, the hydroelectric dam by no means could be connected with skirmishes and the likes; it should be connected with development, agriculture, energy and the likes.
On his part, Abbay Dam Negotiator and International Law Scholar Ambassador Ibrahim Indris, emphasized that considering Nile waters is a common resource, all Nile riparian countries should stand together and transform their relations to cooperation and partnership instead of hesitation and confrontation.
He stated that the Nile’s lower riparian countries, especially Egypt, should realize that they have no legal basis to prevent Ethiopia from using the water. According to him, in 1959, Egypt and Sudan fully shared the waters of the Nile. Assuming 84 billion cubic meters of water, the agreement gave 55.5 billion cubic meters of water to Egypt and 18.5 billion cubic meters to Sudan, and the remaining 10 billion cubic meters were kept for evaporation.
“If lower riparian countries say that we will not allow us to touch any water from our share, it means that they have indirectly accepted the 1959 agreement. This means that 85% of the Nile water that Ethiopia contributes belongs to Egypt and not to Ethiopia, so we are fighting against this injustice.”
One of Egypt’s concerns is that when Ethiopia starts using the Nile water, other countries in the basin will start using it and their sole control over the water will wane. The self-centered approach echoing Egypt’s side is unacceptable. Therefore, what needs to be considered is how all the riparian countries utilize the water fairly and equitably, he reiterated.
Accordingly, the project has withstood the international pressures of the past years and reached its current level. With all such challenges and pressures there was no time where strong hands of Ethiopians refrained from building the dam.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 8 APRIL 2023
