Symposium: Ethiopia’s Nile dam cuts Sudan’s expenditure on siltation
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June 29, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam
(GERD) which is being built on the Blue Nile river will enable
neighbouring Sudan to save millions of dollars a year in clearing
sedimentation, Ethiopian scholars and researchers have said.
In a high-level symposium held on Friday at Addis Ababa University
researchers said Ethiopia’s massive dam, which is just 30km from the
Sudanese border, will highly reduce the quantity of silt that
accumulates in Sudan, enabling Khartoum to save annually up to $20
million.
Yilma Seleshi a representative from the Ethiopian Water Resource
Institute said that the dam will also reduce the frequent floods that
affect people and infrastructure on the banks of the Blue Nile.
Khartoum, Sudan’s capital is where the Blue Nile meets the longer but
slower moving White Nile that has travelled north through Uganda and
South Sudan.
Egypt has expressed concerns over Ethiopia’s dam building programmes
but Seleshi said that the GERD will benefit downstream countries in
terms of reducing sedimentation and evaporation without diminishing
the amount of water that flows to the countries.
Addis Ababa University President, Dr. Admasu Tsegaye, said such
symposiums will enable uncertainties, confusion and doubts raised by
concerned groups with regard to the dam project to be cleared up.
“It will contribute to creating mutual understanding and trust among
upper and lower riparian countries. These two things are decisive to
collaboratively work towards reaping shared benefits from the
construction of the GERD,” he said.
The symposium titled "Opportunities for Regional Development" brought
together over 300 scholars, Ethiopian and foreign researchers,
government officials diplomats and representatives from development
partners.
Researchers presented some 12 papers on subjects including dam safety,
geological hazards, environmental dimensions of the Nile’s water,
development and regional integration.
One of the participants, Solomon Belay, who is a hydro-geologist and
researcher told Sudan Tribune that hydro-solidarity must be a binding
rule between lower and upper riparian countries with regard to Nile
water resources.
Citing the recent strong rhetoric by some Egyptian leaders, Belay
added that Egypt must end its historical hegemony over the Nile’s
water and start to cooperate with others so all riparian countries
will have equitable access to the Nile’s water.
Many country’s in the Nile basin argue that a fairer distribution of
the Nile’s water would enable them to execute developmental projects
that will help lift their people from poverty.
A pre-colonial era treaty has given Egypt 80% of the Nile’s water
resources, allowing the North African country a veto against any
project by another country.
When asked about concerns large parts of Sudan would be flooded if the
Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam collapses, another researcher, Girma
Abate told Sudan Tribune that the tripartite panel of international
experts, which had been assessing on the dam’s impact, have given
assurances that the power plant project meets international standards.
He added the construction site - in Ethiopia’s Benshangul Gumuz - is
safe from earthquake concerns.
When completed, the $4.8 billion Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam will
have a power generating capacity of 6000 MW. Ethiopia says the move to
harness the river aims to curb poverty by exporting hydro-electricity.
Ethiopia could earn up to 2 million euros a day by selling electricity
to neighboring countries.
Currently the East African nation is exporting electricity to Sudan
and Djibouti.
After assessing the Nile dam impacts for over a year a panel of
international experts recently released its final report concluding
that the dam poses no significant harm to downstream countries.
The report revealed that the dam brings benefits to Egypt and Sudan by
protecting them from flooding, reducing sedimentation, enabling
irrigation expansion, boosting water use efficiency and providing them
with cheap and clean energy.
(ST)
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