Ethiopia plants 8.3 billion tree seedlings within Nile Basin
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia has been implementing the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) in the Nile Basin to preserve water resources and achieve mutual development, said the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE).
Approached by the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), MoWE Minister Eng. Habtamu Itefa said that the country is coordinating efforts to implement GLI within the Nile basin so as to protect water resources and ensure shared growth.
Accordingly, Ethiopia is striving to develop the river basin through undertaking environmental protection activities including planting trees. “Over the past five years, the country has planted more than 8.3 billion tree seedlings within the Nile Basin,” he said.
He stressed that the country is implementing the GLI to preserve Nile basin water resources and further develop them.
According to the Minister, Ethiopia is highly committed to achieve mutual development as well as fair utilization of the Nile river waters and this devotion would be enhanced by the implementation of the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), which poised to promote shared development.
Therefore, the country has performed a successful diplomatic move towards the ratification of the CFA by South Sudan and other riparian countries, he indicated.
Accordingly, he noted that the approval of the CFA by South Sudan and Burundi parliaments is a big achievement for member countries including Ethiopia.
As to Habtamu, ratifying the CFA is vital to develop the Nile Basin water resources, promote the equitable and reasonable utilization of Nile waters in a sustainable manner.
The ratification of the legal framework by six countries would help to establish the Nile Basin Commission. Moreover, it would enable member countries to cooperate on conserving, protecting and developing water resources in the basin, he added.
On the other hand, the construction of Abbay Dam is progressing well and the country has set to finalize it in the near future. Turbines’ testing is at final stage to commence power generation, Habtamu indicated.
The completion of the dam construction has multifaceted benefits through generating power for industries, transportation, recreation and others, he said, adding that country’s hydropower generation capacity is growing through time
BY TSEAGYE TILAHUN
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 26 JULY 2024
