Published on the Ethiopian Herald on 24 March 2014

Genere: Editorial

No one stops:

• The construction GERD

• The flow of Nile

Recurrent famine and drought had visited Ethiopia and Ethiopians traditionally every decade. The fate of countless of humans and animals were simply waiting for the unmerciful death in their deathbed. During the 1984-85 famine for instance, an estimated death toll of over one million had been recorded. See Telegraph fact box for further (www.telegraph.co.uk).

But, what caused these catastrophic scenarios? The causes are not obscured even from a common man. Primarily, shortage of rainfall, not to mention wrong policy directions, played a daunting impact for crop failures. The agricultural practices which are still rain shower dependent should take the great share of the blame. The nation, for long time, has also been wrongly perceived as water abundant in Africa. In reality, however, all the nation's basins but one flows crossing boarder. To make matters worse, due to under development, Ethiopian farmers had to remain bystanders of the water resources. Still, the national water storage capacity is so insignificant, sources show that 97 per cent of the nation's rainfall joins cross-boundry water courses and departs the nation.

The bitter sacrifice paid by the people of Ethiopia has now become a ticket for the existing proper development trajectory. International organizations such as the World bank and IMF have made their testimonials for the economic boom of the nation. The drawn-out distorted image of the nation has now been improved significantly. And Ethiopia could never seek a charity single from its esteemed global partners. Today, Ethiopia has already embarked upon a five year,GTP which would be concluded in less than sixteen months. As per the national ambition to pull its millions of citizens out of poverty, various mega projects are underway.

Utilizing its surface water resources, for a landlocked and non oil Ethiopia, therefore, is a recipe to sustain its growth and abolish poverty. Documents have proved it that, power demand projection shows a 25% annual increase in the last five years and 32% in the current. That is why, the nation is investing hugely in renewable energy sources. The people of Ethiopia, child and adult, though could not get international financiers hand to meet this ever increasing energy demand, is building the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Most astonishingly, the finance that has been drawn and is being drawing from these innocent people—who have tightened their belts not to see previous catastrophic famines — would also brights downstream nations' future. Indeed, the Nile riparian have come on board understanding the mutual benefits. Downstream Sudan has also practically proved how a regulated flow of water is a plus for its farmers after the building of Tekeze hydro dam.

Still, few inflexible politicians of Egypt keep “campaigning” against the GERD. Ethiopia never want anyone to tell her what water means for the life of Egyptian people. Yet, we need the people of Egypt to know that we share the same destiny. No one, can stop Nile from flowing. Just, the waters turn a turbine and joins its natural course with a regulated flow to bless African brothers and sisters in Sudan and Egypt. In fact, this is not far from the knowledge of Egypt's politicians, but they are deliberately confusing their people to arouse emotions and distant the people from internal affairs.

Since the inception of the dam's building, exactly three years ago, Ethiopia and Ethiopians have been speaking the same language. The dam would never harm downstream nations, it rather has a lot of blessings. The dam would increase the volume of waters of the Nile basin, it reduces Siltation in Aswan High dam to uplift efficiency of their hydro power generation. And baseless fear and propagating as Egypt's farmers are “at stake” from the early stage is not African solution. As has been proved by International Panel of Experts in which Egypt were represented and accepted the result, the dam has no negative impact. Therefore, distorting this fact deliberately to confuse the international community, though they never succeed, would backfires to themselves. And this fact could be proved from the living IpoE's recommendations.

The only ambition of Ethiopians is to sustain our growth and development without harming anyone near or far. We neither drive others to hunger nor need others to sing charity song for us being onlookers to our resources.