Emperor Haile Selassie first had the idea of building a dam on the Abbay River in 1964, but regional bickering over water rights, followed by civil war, a Marxist coup and a devastating famine that killed nearly a million people in the 1980s, meant the plan was put on hold.
However, on April 2, 2011 a paradigm shift was made and Ethiopia announced the laying of foundation stone to build a hydro dam in Abbay River.
Ethiopians of all walks of life here and abroad are marking the 13th Anniversary of the construction of GERD which started by a ground breaking ceremony conducted by the late Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi on April 2, 2011. Tearing down every conspiracy and mendacious propaganda and threats the people of Ethiopia had to face simply because they have resolved to construct a dam that would generate electricity by their own resources. The colonialists and their former colonies in close proximity to GERD though it was a “mission impossible”.
The occasion is expected to be marked with various programs including fund raising, panel discussions and festivities that are directly connected to finishing the project in the shortest possible time over several months.
April 2011 marked a turning point and change of the status quo ante in shattering hydro hegemony that was mean to prevent Ethiopia from using its own water resources from the Abbay River by means of irrational colonial treaties of 1929 and 1959. These treaties were part of the British Scramble for Africa, geared at not only depriving Ethiopia of its rights but also all the Abbay River riparian countries from ever using the water.
Although GERD was intended to be completed in 5 years, due to the protracted conspiracy by Egypt in preventing international funding opportunity for Ethiopia, internal corruption and over stretched cycles of negotiation’s based on the Declaration of Principles signed on 23 March 2015 between Ethiopian, Sudanese and Egyptian leaders, eleven round of sessions in global diplomatic pressure and conspiracy at the UNSC and the Arab League to prevent Ethiopia from providing electricity for the needy population, tedious reaches on the safety and security that GERD may cause on downstream countries caused an unexpected delay on the completion of the Dam.
Over the last 5 years of the national comprehensive reform program, the people and the Government of Ethiopia worked in unison, untold tenacity and determination no less than the spirit of valor and determination they showed on the victory at the Battle of Adwa to shatter the above mentioned challenges which also included threats to bombard the Dam. Of special importance were the wisdom and leadership skill demonstrated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and his cabinet as well as the efforts exerted by the Ethiopian senior experts on the tripartite negotiations which were stalled on several occasions.
From the very beginning, the leadership of the country has made it clear that the construction of GERD is based on the local laws and international conventions on the utilization of Trans boundary Rivers and was not intended to harm the lower riparian countries in any way but is intended to provide light and power for more than 60% of the Ethiopian population who are still dependent on unhealthy bio-fuel resources. GERD has huge potential for lakeside farming and fishery thus contributing to food security in the region and beyond.
Deputy Head of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region Agriculture Bureau, Berhanu Iticha, revealed that some 753 tons of fish have been harvested from the artificial lake of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). He also reportedly mentioned that, four licensed fishery unions are in operation while 38 youth unions have been provided with fishing license.
GERD is undoubtedly a potential tool and means for the development and promotion of peace in the Horn of Africa and Africa at large. It will serve as a means for cooperation and coalition building among African countries and Ethiopia. The future of the economic development of Africa to a greater degree depends upon coalition building for peace to avert any collusion. GERD has a potential for tourist development and sharing renewable energy which is very important for African economic self-reliance by developing continental energy resources.
Ethiopia is still committed to equitable utilization of the waters of the River and the government is ready to negotiate on utilization of the Abbay waters for the development of the riparian countries on the basis of developing joint projects in accordance to the Abbay Basin Initiative (NBI) under the auspices of the AU.
Thanks to the unreserved commitment of the people of Ethiopia and the Government, today, according to the reports from the National Coordinating Committee for the construction of GERD, the flagship Ethiopian and African mega project has reached 95% to be completed in several months.
GERD, the biggest hydropower dam in Africa being built at the cost of 5 billion USD clearly exhibited to the world that united Ethiopia can perform miracles of the highest proportion in remaining the power house of African renewable energy which provides the necessary power for the continental economic integration.
A study by researchers at the University of Manchester suggests that, the Dam can provide electricity for Ethiopia, flood control for Sudan and drought protection for Egypt — but only if the countries work together.
Ethiopia is building the Dam to generate enough electricity to supply power to about 70% of its 120 million citizens. Even with electricity demand growing by 30% a year, the Dam’s 5,150 megawatts would be more than enough for Ethiopia’s needs. As power sharing with Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti is already in operation, additional power could be sold to neighboring countries with Tanzania on pipeline Sudan said in 2021 it was willing to buy 1,000 megawatts of power from the Dam, about five times the amount of power Sudan already buys from Ethiopia.
By regulating most of the water’s flow, the Dam also could prevent seasonal flooding, such as the floods that struck Khartoum and other parts of Sudan in August 2022.
When completed, the dam will hold an estimated 74 billion cubic meters of water. Researchers say Egypt can benefit from the Dam’s massive stores of water in times of drought, as shifting weather patterns affect rainfall across the region.
Letting a single country maximize the benefits of the Abbay harms its neighbors, the researchers wrote. However, if each country is willing to sacrifice a little for the needs of the others, the entire 11-countries Abbay basin including the eight countries of the White Nile could benefit, they added.
The third filling ended in August 2022 when Ethiopia announced that the Dam was 88% complete. At the same time, the Dam began to generate power amounting to 750 MW from two turbines. The fourth filling was completed in 2023.
The basin-wide annual gain in real GDP due to GERD operation stands at USD 8.07 billion in 2024 relative to the baseline (2020). Ethiopia benefits a staggering USD 6.79 billion in real GDP due to GERD operation while Sudan and Egypt gain USD 1.11 billion and USD 0.17 billion in real GDP respectively.
Researchers said because the water flows through the dam to make electricity, it poses no risk to countries downstream. In the long run, the project could strengthen ties among the countries that rely on the Abbay, according to researchers.
Abbay Dam is also a vivid indicator of the patience, unflinching desire from the people of Ethiopia who disregarded ethnic, gender, religious, economic status and age difference. Ethiopians ranging from nursery school children to water fetching women and firewood collectors, public servants entrepreneurs, Ethiopians and foreign citizens of Ethiopian origin in overseas contributed to the construction of GERD while local and foreign contractors and engineers labored from dawn to dusk in a hostile climate along with the members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) who protected the area from any kind of sabotage and encroachments by paid saboteurs.
The 70 islands that are to be formed after the total filling of the Dam will be open to local and foreign investors in hospitality industry. Already three local companies have expressed their interest in the sector.
Over time, Ethiopia intends to build some 70 dams across the country to generate more power for the growing industry of the country requires annual 30% increment in power needs.
As all Ethiopians here and abroad mark the 13th anniversary of construction of GERD, it is incumbent upon all to continue to support the project through further purchase of treasury bonds and donations that are required.
Ethiopia is ready to share cheaper hydropower energy with other African countries and hopes to secure at least 2 billion USD each year to support the economic development of the country.
Moreover, the Dam is an important input for Africa’s economic integration that is based on using African resources for Africans and by Africans. This shows that the biggest dam in Africa will be completed to fulfill Ethiopia’s economic solidarity with the rest of Africa.
It must be stressed again that the nation is building GERD in the midst of challenges some of which are out of the control of the country. Although the road is torturous, the world and African countries will soon witness the completion of GERD which is a pathway for Ethiopia’s prosperity and unity.
BY SOLOMON DIBABA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 2 APRIL 2024
