ADDIS ABABA – The Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE) said the unveiling of a water strategy document is instrumental to communicate Ethiopia’s stance on water bodies and to utilize the resources for its development.
MoWE Minister Habtamu Itefa (PhD-Eng.) made the above remark yesterday while launching the historical and unique book titled The Grand Strategy of Two Waters, which reflects Ethiopia’s position on the Abay River and the Red Sea. The book was prepared by the Institute of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with Walta Media and Communication Corporation and Abrhot Library.
Habtamu also stated that Ethiopia should utilize its synergy and stakeholders’ integration and establish various strategies to realize proper utilization of water and ensure sustainable development. “Fostering regional integration with the Horn of Africa countries have a paramount importance in this regard.”
“If the current generation expected to repeat the victory of Adwa in poverty, a numbers of strategies expected to encourage unity, sovereignty, national interest, and prosperity. In this regard, the MoWE is partnering with various universities to address a number of constraints related with water bodies through research and scientific based approach.”
The minister advised the media to use proper expression about the country’s water potential and be cautious when using the usual ‘Ethiopia is the water tower of Africa’ phrase when the reality is far from this. “We are called a water tower because we are in a high place, not because we have enough water.”
“We are not called water tower because we have water. Ethiopia’s historical enemies take this word and make it a water tower. They have attempted to attack by saying that Ethiopia has rain and river. But this is far from reality.”
The IFA’s Executive Director Jafar Bedru on his part said that the book would be supllimenting the holistic development of Ethiopia in particular and the East African region in general due to its focus on cooperative development, give and take approaches, regional integration, and sustainable peace.
The director added, “The book focuses in detail in Abbay-Nile basin and the Red Sea as strategic arenas for Ethiopia’s national security to help the country’s effort to return the Red Sea access and get the ownership of sea outlet. Besides, Abay and Red Sea are determinant issue on geopolitics, social, and strategic approaches of Ethiopia.”
Sharing the above rationale, Walta Media and Communication Corporate (WMCC) CEO Mohammed Hassen on his part said that the Red Sea and Abay River is the lifeline of Ethiopia whilst the book discussed about the way of reducing external pressures and protect mutual interest. “Some historical enemies still accusing Ethiopia without any ground when the country promotes mutual development.”
The Grand Strategy of Two Waters would play a pivotal role to media institutions, facilitate regional trade, ensure security, encourage social interaction, combat terrorism, reduce illegal human trafficking, and the likes across the Horn of Africa region, he remarked.
BY MESERET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 1 MARCH 2024
