GERD Filling Inspires Ethiopian Diaspora Across the Globe: Ethiopian Ambassadors

Addis Ababa, August 25/2020(ENA) Ethiopia’s firm stance on the ongoing tripartite negotiation and the first phase filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has encouraged Ethiopian Diasporas across the world, Ambassadors said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ethiopian Ambassador to China Teshome Toga said Ethiopia has the right to develop using its natural resources including the Nile River.

The government by putting all the necessary efforts in place has managed to secure the national interest in relation to the dam, he said adding Ethiopians are persuaded with the government move on the flagship GERD project.    

“Ethiopians abroad are very much encouraged by the position that the government has taken. So we will continue constructing our dam at the same time we will also negotiate to fair, reasonable and equitable use of the Nile water resources; so this has motivated them and the first filling of the dam has motivated Ethiopians all over the world,” Ambassador Teshome noted.

The reason is that the ambassador said “GERD is not ordinary dam rather it has several national and regional geopolitical implications.”

In the process of constructing the dam the government of Ethiopia has done everything it could to reach on understanding with the downstream countries, he said, and added “as our main aim is to reach at a win-win solution to this problem the Chinese government has encouraged and supported that.”

Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States of America, Fitsum Arega said Ethiopian and Ethiopian origin Diasporas are engaged in supporting GERD and becoming part of the history in the making.

“The stance that the Ethiopian government has taken on the Grand Renaissance Dam talk has been very clear, principled and based on the agreement signed among the three countries in Khartoum and it is also just. Whereas the argument by the other parties mainly by Egypt and unfortunately supported by the US Treasury was not in line with these principles,” he said.

The Diaspora clearly understands the sticky points of the negotiation on the dam and Ethiopia’s position, he said, adding that “they are very engaged and want to engage more, especially in this month.”

“For the first time in the U.S. we have opened an account for Ethiopian Diaspora to participate in this grand project and be part of history, renaissance, and this unifying and amazing movement. So we will be continuing to do in the months to come to motivate and explain the opportunities open to them,” Fitsum elaborated.

Ethiopia has accomplished the first phase of filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with the initial 4.9 billion cubic meters of water adequate to start early power generation.