Nat’l Water, Energy Week to Focus on Transforming the Sectors

Addis Ababa June 14/2019 Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy announced that it has organized Water and Energy Week under the theme “Transformation of Water and Energy sectors for Ethiopia’s New Horizon of Hope” starting from June 17, 2019.

Briefing journalists today, Water, Irrigation and Energy Minister Sileshi Bekele said the main goal of the week is to raise awareness about water sector potentials, development challenges and opportunities among citizens and to create national and international interactions.

During the week, public private partnership (PPP) will be reinforced and platform that will bring together policy and decision makers, top-tier investors, development partners, influential individuals and academia established.

It is also expected to enhance nexus among researchers, policy and practice, promote science driven leadership and decision-making as well as knowledge sharing, he pointed out.

The minister stated that the draft 10-year plan prepared by the ministry will also be discussed to gather inputs from stakeholders.

Asked about the electric rationing in place, Sileshi said there is a possibility of returning to normalcy before the planned date, July 7, 2019, as improvements are observed in some of the country’s reservoirs.

Water and Energy Week will also foster new and innovative ideas through open discussion about WASH, water resource and basin, irrigation and energy, according to the minister.

Similarly, the Youth Irrigation Program and introduction of new water-based growth corridor concepts, the National Electrification Program - Light for All, and mega projects like GERD and Koyash will be discussed.

The program for Ethiopia Water and Energy Week will be wrapped up by planting trees as part of the mega transformational rural and urban greenery national program of planting 4 billion trees.