Ethiopia Should Focus on Blue Nile Basin, Red Sea: Foreign Affairs Institute Executive Director

The Blue Nile (Abay) Basin and the Red Sea should be Ethiopia’s central focus areas as they are crucial to its development and regional cooperation, Foreign Affairs Institute Executive Director Jafar Bedru said.

A book authored by the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Walta Media and Communication Corporate, and Abrehot Library, under the title, ‘Yehulet Wehawotch Abiy Strtaegy’ (The Strategy of Two Waters) was launched today.

Speaking during the launching ceremony, Foreign Affairs Institute Executive Director Jafar Bedru said Ethiopia’s strategic focus should be on the Blue Nile Basin and the Red Sea.

Highlighting the historical correlation between Ethiopia’s achievements and its proximity to water resources, he stressed the need to focus on these water resources and harness them for national development and regional cooperation.

The book ‘ discusses the Abay basin and the Red Sea region. And based on studies of history, economics, law and geopolitics, we have reached the conclusion that these water bodies
should be the center of our focus. Water is becoming a valuable resource more than ever,’ the executive director pointed out.

As part of strategy, the book envisions building infrastructure connecting countries in the region so that they could be a catalyst for shifting the region away from a cycle of conflict and towards a future of development and integration.

This book’s insights are particularly relevant in the current Ethiopian context, where water projects are being undertaken successfully and a MoU has been signed with Somaliland to access the sea.

The 150-page in the Amharic language offers a fresh perspective, urging Ethiopia to broaden its strategic focus towards a comprehensive water resource utilization and Red Sea-centric development approach that benefits the country and the entire region.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency