Reuters
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Ethiopia formally inaugurates Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam on Tuesday, a undertaking that may present vitality to tens of millions of Ethiopians whereas deepening a rift with downstream Egypt that has unsettled the area.
Ethiopia, the continent’s second most populous nation with a inhabitants of 120 million, sees the $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on a tributary of the River Nile as central to its ambitions for financial growth.
Begun in 2011, the dam’s energy technology ought to ultimately rise to five,150 MW from the 750 MW that its two lively generators are already producing.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has stated Ethiopia will use the vitality to enhance Ethiopians’ entry to electrical energy whereas additionally exporting surplus energy to the area.
Ethiopia’s downstream neighbours, nevertheless, have watched the undertaking advance with dread.
Egypt, which constructed its personal Aswan High Dam on the Nile within the Nineteen Sixties, fears the GERD might prohibit its water provide in periods of drought, and will result in the development of different upstream dams.
It has bitterly opposed the dam from the beginning, arguing that it violates water treaties courting to the British colonial period and poses an existential risk.
Egypt, with a inhabitants of about 108 million, is determined by the Nile for about 90% of its recent water.
Egypt would proceed to carefully monitor developments on the Blue Nile and “exercise its right to take all the appropriate measures to defend and protect the interests of the Egyptian people,” Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tamim Khallaf advised Reuters on Monday.
Sudan has joined Egypt’s requires legally binding agreements on the dam’s filling and operation, however might additionally profit from higher flood administration and entry to low-cost vitality.
Cairo’s place obtained help from US President Donald Trump throughout his first time period. Trump stated it was a harmful scenario and that Cairo might find yourself “blowing up that dam,” however his administration didn’t safe a deal on the undertaking, over which years of talks produced no agreement.
Insisting that the undertaking’s growth is a sovereign proper, Ethiopia has pressed forward. In 2020, it started filling the reservoir in phases whereas arguing that the dam wouldn’t considerably hurt downstream nations.
“The Renaissance Dam is not a threat, but a shared opportunity,” Abiy advised parliament in July. “The energy and development it will generate stand to uplift not just Ethiopia.”
Independent analysis exhibits that up to now, no main disruptions to downstream stream have been recorded — partly because of favorable rainfall and cautious filling of the reservoir throughout moist seasons over a five-year interval.
In Ethiopia, which has confronted years of inside armed battle, largely alongside ethnic traces, the GERD has confirmed a supply of nationwide unity, stated Magnus Taylor from the International Crisis Group assume tank.
“The idea that Ethiopia should be able to build a dam on its own territory… and shouldn’t be pushed around by Egypt is broadly something that most Ethiopians would get behind,” he stated.
Ethiopia’s central financial institution offered 91% of the undertaking’s funding, whereas 9% was financed by Ethiopians via bond gross sales and presents, with none overseas help, native media has reported.
The dam’s reservoir has flooded an space bigger than Greater London, which the federal government says will present a gradual water provide for hydropower and irrigation downstream whereas limiting floods and drought.
Rural Ethiopians, nevertheless, might have to attend a bit longer to profit from the additional energy: solely round half of them are related to the nationwide grid.
While relations with Egypt over the dam have deteriorated within the final 12 months, they’ll nonetheless worsen, stated Matt Bryden from assume tank Sahan Research.
Landlocked Ethiopia’s plan to realize entry to the ocean by way of its outdated adversaries Eritrea or Somalia has seen Egypt throw its weight behind Asmara and Mogadishu.
The thought of strategic rival Egypt dictating not solely Nile water utilization however entry to the Red Sea, is clearly unacceptable to Addis Ababa, Bryden stated.