GERD Crucial to Strengthening Brotherhood in Region: Senior Water Expert

Addis Ababa September 17/2021 (ENA) The realization of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)is critical to strengthening brotherhood in the region by sharing power, a senior water expert and member of the GERD negotiating team said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Yilma Sileshi noted that GERD will create opportunity to share energy, which is crucial to transform the economic ties in the region and realize integration.

“This will create and strengthen brotherhood among countries in the region. So, based on international standards, Ethiopia will provide energy for neighboring and other regional countries,” the expert elaborated.

Apart from providing energy for countries, he said the dam will play crucial role in saving  Sudan from flood and helping it to expand agriculture; while reducing sediments from reaching Egypt's Aswan dam.

Despite the stated facts, Egypt and Sudan have been trying to hinder the completion of the dam using various sabotages, including taking the issue to the United Nations Security Council.

According to the expert, “presenting the issue of GERD as a security threat by the two nations is totally unacceptable and it is simply a nonexistent allegation which targeted to hamper future development of Ethiopia on its water resources.”

The UNSC member states ambassadors also recently affirmed the need for the quick resumption of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam talks under the auspices of the African Union.

The council further called on building on the 2015 Declaration of Principles signed by Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to reach an agreement on GERD.

Yilma revealed that Egypt and Sudan have been trying to sabotage the GERD by taking the issue to UNSC repeatedly and trying to fuel conflict in Ethiopia.

Despite all the ill intentions by the two countries to obstruct the dam, Ethiopians from all walks of life throughout the nation and abroad have continued providing unfettered support for the dam in all forms.

“We Ethiopians have to counter every threat Egypt and Sudan pose to hinder the finalization  of GERD; and we have to have a firm stand on assuring the future development of the nation using its water resources,” the expert stressed.

Following the completion of the second round filling of the dam last July, the Ethiopian government is making preparations to start generating electricity from the dam in the next few months.