GERD

 

All roads lead to Rome

Worku Belachew 

The issue of GERD one's again brought Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt under same roof for talks in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Over the past years following the commencement of the flagship project, Ethiopia shades light on the solid fact that the dam won't bring any of anticipated fears of few Egyptian counterparts, environmental, social or whatever. This had been proved true as the trio panels were exposed to important evidences—both the dam site and all available documents— and concluded as no significant harm would be caused.

As stated in the FDRE Foreign Affairs and National Security Policy and Strategy, the nation's front line enemy that causes threat to its survival is poverty and backwardness. The introductory section of this document read as: “the attainment of speedy economic development, democratization and peace is fundamental to the survival ofour country which finds itself in a state of abject poverty and backwardness.”

Fighting this harsh scenario is central to its activities. Winning the neck-to-neck wrestling against poverty is not an event rather it is a process. Over the years, no stone has been left unturned, to expedite this process. Now the economic achievement of the nation is one of the fewest fast speeding in Africa. GERD is a showcase of the development and the future of Ethiopia, therefore. There is no intent to harm anyone in the basin. But, there is an intent to benefit those in the basin.

For Ethiopia, the development of the region in particular, and Africa as a whole is so important. Citizens of Ethiopia were/are in UN missions in Africa. Ethiopia is doing a lot to stabilize the region, it has played crucial role for Somalia to make it stand with equal feet among the rest of the nations. Same efforts are under way for South Sudan, to mention but few. Therefore, this nation has, since long time ago, advanced its stand to the sentiment of Pan-Africanism, the impetus that glue Africa and Africans together in the economic, social and political fronts.

The government of Ethiopia has not been preoccupied in theorizing Pan-Africanism, it has rather laid the foundation for its practicality. The power interconnection Ethiopia accomplished between Djibouti and Sudan is a case in point in this regard. And GERD is no different. Clean energy of 6,000 mega watts will be generated here but would be in use by neighbouring nations as well.

From the onset of the construction of GERD, in various fora, Ethiopia's unshakable stand has been manifest. In this fourth round of trio talks, Ethiopia maintained the stand as it accepted the agreement reached to further assess the hydro-logical modeling, social and environmental impacts of the dam.

It suffice to mention this proverb here: “All roads lead to Rome”.

In a regular press conference of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), spokesperson Dina Mufti put the matter this way: “Ethiopia accepted the proposal for further study in which four experts from each country will participate. We are confident enough, the assessment will not come up with any new impact other than which was studied thus far.”

The national effort is to abolish poverty and backwardness.

When it comes to using cross boarder rivers, Ethiopia respects the non harming principle toward downstream riparian and pursue development exercising its natural rights. As it has been mentioned above, the rhythm of the nation's development greatly considers cooperation, mutual benefit— in one terminology, Pan-Africanism.

With the exception of few, all in the riparian have understood the reality. And all African brothers and sisters, young and adult, also reflected in various ways that GERD is a source of cooperation.

In this regard, Ethiopia has wide opened all windows to cooperate on the issues of Nile in general and GERD in particular. The fact is one and one, whether assessment is done or not, GERD will not harm anyone. It rather multiply opportunity for downstream nations in many ways as suggested by famous scholars. And will integrate the region as whole.

Quotation of the day

“There is no time to waste. We must either unite now or perish.” Julius Nyerere