Egypt’s strategic resource huge; Ethiopia’s minimal: Dr Sileshi Bekele
AMU has hosted a daylong workshop on intellectuals and citizen’s engagement for GERD realization at Main Campus to motivate country’s elite class to bolster national sentiments that will further strengthen Ethiopia’s global diplomatic drive to strongly expose Egypt and Sudan’s ambiguous and misguiding campaign, make people aware about government’s commitment to this hydropower giant and seek active involvement.
Gracing the event, Dr Sileshi Bekele, Cabinet Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, said, Ethiopia contributes 77 billion cubic meters (86%) water to Nile River while Egypt and Sudan’s share is said to be 55.5 and 18.5 BCMs and 10 BCM annually probably gets evaporated. Repudiating Egypt’s claim of Ethiopia having adequate rainfall, he said, Ethiopia is a landlocked nation with scarce alternate water resources while Egypt has Red Sea and Mediterranean coastlines of 1,500 and 1,050 km respectively; Sudan has 700 km coastline.
Launching a broadside against these two downstream nations, he said, GERD means a lot for Ethiopia. It will rejuvenate economy and bring socio-political stability in the region; hence, their opposition is nothing more than a vindictive ploy to foment social unrest within Ethiopia, which we won’t allow to happen.
He adds, on other hand, Ethiopia is facing development challenges such as burgeoning population and abysmal poverty. Presently, Ethiopia’s population is 115 Million that may reach 230 million mark by 2030. Around 21% of our population is living below poverty level, 60 million off the national grid and 26 million have no access to clean water, etc. So we have huge tasks ahead to be tackled.
Unraveling financial provision, he said, till date, GERD has incurred ETB 78.3 Billion ($ 4.5 Billion) while actual cost may go up to ETB 180 Billion as construction gets delayed. As of now, its 79% completed construction includes 91.2% of civil, 52.7% electromechanical, 53.6% HSS and 100% transmission works. And, 2nd impounding dam configuration is expected to be completed by July 2021 wherein power generation may begin in August 2021; 3rd and 4th unit likely to finished mid 2022 and last unit completion by August 2023.
To substantiate his points of huge water reserve availability in Egypt, he cited Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (2006) Study that puts 1,000 BCM of recoverable groundwater for Ethiopia, it is 33,877 BCM in Sudan and Egypt has 154,756 BCM. More importantly, the Strategic Resource assures 50 BCM of annual supply for Ethiopia that might last for 20 years while Egypt’s 50 BCM annual supplies will go for 3,000 years and Sudan’s 50 BCM/year would continue till 678 years at stretch, he emphasized.
AMU President, Dr Damtew Darza, opening the workshop said that GERD is an iconic project that stands as the epitome of our aspiration which unites one and all. In this regard, since its inception, AMU and its entire community have been contributing in whichever way they can; in three rounds, we bought bonds to generate fund and hosted various activities to mobilize support. We vow to continue support till it gets completed because it will ultimately spur Ethiopia’s resurgence in true sense of term, he stressed.
GERD Public Participation Coordination Office’s Director General, Dr Aregawi Berhe, exhorting the gathering, said, we want our elites to fully understand and involve in government’s commitment towards GERD. Exemplifying challenges ahead, he said, political pressures from outside trying to throttle Ethiopia’s economic progress are vicious which need to be thwarted with tooth and nail. He deplored the stand taken by America, in this regard, said, we want our people to remain united to withstand ongoing misinformation campaigns.
The program gets off with Arba Minch Musical band performing on ethnic numbers followed by poem recitals and panel discussions. Pictorial exhibition hosted at the foyer of Institute of Technology’s new auditorium attracted people’s attention.
Accentuating GERD’s indispensability, Vice President for Research and Community Service, Mr Behailu Merdekios, in his valedictory address said, in developing nations, poverty is a big challenge where basic needs like food, shelter, water, access to healthcare, education and power are to be met. And, we know presently Ethiopia is reeling under acute power scarcity that’s prerequisite for economic development.
He adds, we have great potential in alternate sources of energy like fossil fuels, hydro, solar energy and renewable energy, but we couldn’t exploit them diametrically; in such situation, GERD’s realization becomes inevitable where Ethiopian higher education institutions have role to play; all intellectuals as citizens must continue to contribute and conduct evidence-based researches to convincingly debunk the web of lies perpetrated by Egypt and Sudan against GERD, he added.
State Minister for Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr Abraham Adugna, Water Development Commission Commissioner, Dr Beshah Mogesse, Gamo and Gofa Zones Administrators, Mr Berhanu Zewdie and Dr Getenet Negasho, Ethiopian Construction Design & Supervision Works Corporation chief, Dr Negeda Abate; AMU top officials, staff, students and stakeholders from different sectors were in attendance.
Source: Arba Minch University