Historians Slam US Nat'l Security Council Statement on GERD

Addis Ababa June 20/2020(ENA)The statement issued by the United States National Security Council on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is biased and based on wrong perception, historians said.

It is to be recalled that the US National Security Council had tweeted a statement saying “270 million people in east Africa are relying on Ethiopia to show strong leadership, which means sticking a fair deal. Technical issues have been resolved and it time to get the GERD deal done before filling it with Nile River water.”

Similarly, the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin issued in February 2020 the statement that “consistent with the principles set out in the DOP, and in particular the principles of not causing significant harm to downstream countries, final testing and filling should not take place without an agreement.”

The statement, like this one, was rejected. And Ethiopia has made it clear that it is committed to continue its engagement with Egypt and Sudan to address outstanding issues and finalize the guidelines and rules on the first filling and annual operation of the GERD.

Arba Minch University Assistant Professor at History Department, Saeid Ahmed told ENA that there is no force that can stop Ethiopia from filling the dam, and this position should be made clear to the international community.

Jimma University History lecturer, Dr. Kitebo Abdiyo said the statement of the US National Security Council reflects the erroneous perception of the council.

According to him, Ethiopia can fill the dam in accordance with the Agreement on the Declaration of Principles (DoP) signed between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt in 2015 in Khartoum.

In terms of technical and climate conditions, Ethiopia would also be forced to fill the dam, he noted.

The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has reached 74 percent and filling of the dam is expected to begin in July, 2020.