In my opinion, this should be negotiable, to fill the lake over a longer period, and only when the river is sufficiently full. Hence, it is hard to see how Egypt could make a compelling argument that it has been harmed by the Dam. Another argument Egypt might adduce concerns the DoP. The dispute over the GERD is part of a long-standing feud between Egypt and Sudanthe downstream stateson the one hand, and Ethiopia and the upstream riparians on the other over access to the Niles waters, which are considered a lifeline for millions of people living in Egypt and Sudan. The piece (i) gives a brief history of the Dam; (ii) outlines the role of the Watercourses Convention; (iii) explains the significance of the Nile Waters Treaties; (iv) sets out the main legal arguments for Egypt and (v) provides the main legal arguments for Ethiopia. A major reason the GERD is so controversial today is that it has not been subjected to thorough safety and impact studies, which could pose a grave threat to downriver nations. Mainly, for the downstream countries, the. According to Article 16, former colonies do not inherit the treaty obligations of their former colonial rulers and instead receive a clean slate. However, Egypt could argue that the territorial treaty exception, under Articles 11 and 12, applies whereby colonial treaty provisions concerning boundaries must survive the impact of succession and bind successor states. Hence, it seems that such an argument would receive a warm welcome from the current bench were the matter ever to be adjudicated there. The Blue Nile is Ethiopias largest river, with high potential for hydropower and irrigation. As a consequence, Ethiopia has not been able to make significant use of the rivers waters.
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Ethiopia - Webuild Project L'Europe en Formation, 365(3), 99-138. The crucial leverage regarding Egypts water security lies with the Blue Nile countries Ethiopia and Sudan, as the Blue Nile is the main contributor to the Nile Rivers flow downstream. The instrument was a success in terms of cooling tensions between the states which seemed increasingly likely to come to blows. Even without taking the dam into account, the largely desert country is short of water. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a 6000 MW hydropower project on the Blue Nile, which the Ethiopian government plans to build to fulfill the country's energy needs. A general view of the Blue Nile river as it passes through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), near Guba in Ethiopia, on December 26, 2019. (2017). Although the immediate issue at stakesecuring a technical agreement on the filling of the GERDs reservoiris among Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, the broader and longer-term goal should be for all 11 statesincluding Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Eritrea, and South Sudanto agree on a legal regime for the management of this important watercourse. The dispute escalated in 2011 when Ethiopia began construction of a major new dam, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), in the absence of any agreement with downstream Egypt. Concern has focused in particular on Lake Turkana, which derives 90 per cent of its water from the Omo River on which the Gilgel Gibe III Dam was built. A Tripartite National Committee (TNC), consisting of national experts from Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, was constituted in order to determine principles of cooperation. Addis Ababa launched the construction of the GERD under Zenawi, and work on it has proceeded at full steam ahead ever since. In the relatively unlikely scenario that the above points failed, Ethiopia could argue that there has been such a change of circumstances since the Nile Waters Treaties were concluded that they ought to be terminated. Sudan, caught between the competing interests of both Egypt and Ethiopia, has been changing its stance on the issue. Some have mythified it and claim it is the Gihon River of the Biblical Book of Genesis that encircles the entire land of Cush, thereby adding a religious dimension to the politicisation. Poverty alleviation, which is a major concern for all Nile Basin countries, could form the basis of a cooperative arrangement between all the Niles riparians.
Impacts of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on Downstream Countries Fast Track Approach to Design and Construction at Grand Ethiopian UN ready to promote 'win-win solution' for Blue Nile dam project Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam: Ending Africa's Oldest Geopolitical Rivalry? Disadvantages Slow process Could be washed to the wrong direction Start up costs Lesson 4: Long term investment, It can't cope with he propagation rate of water hyacinth. In March 2015, a 'Declaration of Principles' was signed by the leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, setting the foundations for an initial cooperation. Already, the United States has threatened to withhold development aid to Ethiopia if the conflict is not resolved and an agreement reached. The Chinese then took over the funding amidst heightened international concern regarding the social, technical, and environmental repercussions of the Ethiopian dams. The dispute resolution committee could be made up of the Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-COM), which includes the ministers in charge of water affairs in all member states of the Nile River Basin. Political instability in Egypt played an important role as the announcement of the project coincided with the resignation of President Mubarak during the Arab Spring. A political requirement will be to agree on rules for filling the GERD reservoir and on operating rules for the GERD, especially during periods of drought. Security implications of growing water scarcity in Egypt. The drying up of this in Central Asia has been called the worlds worst environmental catastrophe. Gebreluel, G. (2014). These parallel developments appear to be elements of a bigger hydro-political strategy wherein the riparian countries aim to increase their water utilisation to put facts on the ground (and underpin legal claims based on those uses) and increase their bargaining position for renegotiations of volumetric water allocations. It seeks to build an infrastructure for regional water hegemony, positioning it, at the very least, in such a way that it can exchange water for oil. Ethiopia has the basins most suitable locations for hydropower production, and its damming of the Blue Nile would significantly increase Sudan's potential for irrigated agriculture. [35] It is perhaps the most glaring demonstration of environmental or climate injustice that the youngest continent (60 percent of the population is below the age of twenty-five) is also the one that has historically least contributed to the industrial emissions of greenhouse gases yet is likely the one that will be hardest affected by meteorological
The Untold Story of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam The three countries have agreed that when the flow of Nile water to the dam falls below 35-40 b.c.m. One senior advisor to former Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi alluded to it when he said that Ethiopia will supply the electricity, Sudan the food, and Egypt the money. To which we might add, and South Sudan will supply the oil.. Given the importance of water to Ethiopian agriculture, it resulted in the tragic irony that, as Thurow put it, the land than feeds the Nile is unable to feed itself. The status quo started to change when Ethiopia began construction of the Dam, just east of its border with Sudan, in 2011. 17th round of GERD tripartite talks hits wall in Cairo.
Who Is Financing Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam? Second, the upstream riparian states must recognize and accept Egypts near total dependence on the waters of the Nile River. Elliot Winter is a lecturer (assistant professor) in international law at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. However, as a result of the ability and willingness of Ethiopians at home and abroad to invest in the dam project, the government was able to raise a significant portion of the money needed to start the construction of the GERD. l It is in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, about 15 km east of the border with Sudan. 1800m long and 170m high. To date, no significant harm has been caused to Egypt or Sudan as a result of the ongoing construction of the GERD. The GDP per capita in Ethiopia is only $475. Match. The New Arab (2020b).
International experts analyze impacts of Ethiopian dam Trilateral talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to finalise an agreement on a cooperation framework for the GERD have been mediated by the African Union, World Bank and United States. Still, Egypt may be playing with fire if it were to press the legal significance of the DoP. I agree with the delivery of the newsletter. On the surface, the 558 ft tall dam Africa's biggest hydropower project belies Ethiopia's financial muscle. Although Egypt has persistently argued that the 1959 agreement between Egypt and Sudan is the legal framework for the allocation of the waters of the Nile, Ethiopia and other upstream riparian states reject that argument. While the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is taking shape on . Nevertheless, Khartoum continues to fear that the operation of the GERD could threaten the safety of Sudans own dams and make it much more difficult for the government to manage its own development projects. According to this narrative, the Blue Nile, or Abay in Amharic, is a purely Ethiopian river. An optimistic trend among todays African commentators focuses primarily on economic growth rates and pays little attention to human tolls, questions of transparency and accountability, and the sustainability of growth. The change of government in Egypt led to a more conciliatory approach (Von Lossow & Roll, 2015). International rights organisations have reported that many cases of displacement were not voluntary and that entire communities were driven from their villages. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and hydroelectric project is located 700 km northeast of the capital city Addis Abeba, in the Benishangul--Gumaz region of Ethiopia, along the Blue Nile River. The researchers looked at the dynamic interactions between the Nile's hydrology and infrastructure and Egypt's economy. Second came the 2015 Declaration of Principles (DoP) which concerned the Dam specifically (rather than the Nile more broadly). In general, the Ethiopian development philosophy rests on two pillars: mega-dams and mega-agricultural projects. They generate electricity, store water for crop irrigation and help to prevent floods. Also, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry later held the Egyptian side accountable for failure of these negotiations.
China at the heart of rising Nile River conflict - Asia Times This is good news for Egypt and Sudan as hydropower means little actual water withdrawal. In the absence of the application of the Watercourses Convention, various other legal arrangements and political declarations must be considered to gain an understanding of the regulation of the Dam and the Nile River more generally.
(DOC) Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam - Academia.edu Although Egypt and Sudan are likely to resist efforts to include the other upstream riparians in the negotiations or to allow a regional organization, such as the NBI, to serve as an implementing organ, they must understand that the Nile River is a regional watercourse and its management must be approached from a regional perspective.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Its Effect on Egypt In fact, the Dam arguably smooths out the flow and mitigates the risk of both drought and floods. The GERD has become a new reality challenging the traditional dynamics in the Nile River Basin. There has long been a conflict over water rights among the riparian countries of the Eastern Nile Basin (Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia). Swain, A. Helping Egypts cause, during the preparation of the VCSS, the International Law Commission stated that treaties concerning water rights or navigation on rivers are commonly regarded as candidates for inclusion in the category of territorial treaties. However, it must be noted that this would represent a generous interpretation of the territorial treaty exception.
Why was the aswan high dam built? Explained by Sharing Culture As they consider this controversial issue, all 11 riparian countries should seek to improve relations among themselves beyond their relationship with the Nile, especially in mutually beneficial areas such as trade; educational and cultural exchanges; the management of natural resources, including water; dealing with threats to peace and security, including the suppression and prevention of terrorism and extremism; and confronting major challenges to economic growth and poverty alleviation, such as climate change, widespread illiteracy, and poor infrastructure. Across Ethiopia, poor farmers and rich business executives alike . In response, Ethiopia threatened military force to defend the dam and protect its interests (The New Arab, 2020a). According to present plans, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) now under construction across the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia will be the largest hydroelectric dam in Africa, and one of the 12 largest in the world.
The Political Deadlock on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam The results indicated that the negative impacts on Egyptian water resources are dominant. Whittington, D. et al. Ethiopia has never 'consumed' significant shares of the Nile's water so far, as its previous political and economic fragility in combination with a lack of external financial support, due to persistent Egyptian opposition to projects upstream, prevented it from implementing large-scale projects.
(PDF) Benefit of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project (GERDP) for Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG, 79-110. Chinese banks provided financing for the purchase of the turbines and electrical equipment for the hydroelectric plants. The Washington Quarterly, 37(2), 25-37. Ethiopia Needs the United States to Act as an Honest Broker in the Nile . The Danger of Multi-Party Democracy and Free Elections in Plural Societies Recognizing the Muslim Brotherhood as a Legitimate Player in Egyptian Politics was a Big Mistake Ethiopian Partnering with ASKY to Establish West African Cargo Hub Ethiopia and China's ZTE singed $800 million mobile deal H and M to build factories in Ethiopia Cooperation among the three countries has never been more important as demand for water rises, she added, due to factors such as population growth, urbanization and industrialization. The countrys 2003 development plan introduced many more, and the Ethiopian government launched an ambitious PR campaign to encourage donor nations and international funding agencies to support these projects financially and ideologically as the highway to Ethiopian development and prosperity. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a 6,450 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan. Flashcards. Churning waters: Strategic shifts in the Nile basin. Ethiopian general threatens military force to defend Nile dam as negotiations with Egypt falter. Before discussing the benefits, the article will brief the general technical overview of the GERDP. In order to sustain this benefit in the long run, Ethiopias neighbouring countries will have to continue to purchase hydroelectric energy, and rainfall will have to fall at the same rate on the Ethiopian Plateau. It could be a treaty or merely a political declaration as the name implies.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Source of cooperation or - USGS Egypt faces another dam challenge - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted Test. the study highlights the importance of weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of counter-hegemonic tactics in general, and of large dam projects in particular, and .
Ethiopian Renaissance Dam & Its implications on Egypt The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Limited Options for a Resolution Most recently, there have been suggestions that the African Union should resolve the disagreement. On March 4, 1909, the Copyright Act of 1909 became law, making infringement of a copyright a federal crime for the first time. The 10-year filling time of GERD will likely contribute to fastened salinisation in Egypt.
What are the disadvantages of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam The establishment of the Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, up 145 and a storage capacity of 74 . As noted above, the instrument concedes for the first time that Ethiopia has legitimate interests over the Nile. The above-mentioned Gilgel Gibe III Dam stood out as the worlds most controversial dam until the GERD. Ethiopia needs regional customers for its hydropower to ensure the economic feasibility of the GERD. Ethiopias interests in developing its water resources are driven by its growing population and high demand for socio-economic development (Gebreluel, 2014). (2020). Given agricultures importance to pro-poor economic growth, Egypt, which has significant experience and expertise in irrigation agriculture, can share some of that expertise with other countries in exchange for increased trade with them. It will also give Ethiopia more control . In: Yihdego, Z. et al. Moreover, after the completion of the GERD, Egypt could run short of water if the operation of the GERD was not carefully coordinated with that of the AHD. It will be the largest hydropower project in Africa. GIGA Focus No. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a critical project that intends to provide hydroelectricity to support the livelihoods of millions of people in the region. Sudans agricultural and hydropower interests align with those of Ethiopia while it has a strong interest in not alienating its 'big brother' and northern neighbour, Egypt, with whom it shares a long and partly contested border (Whittington et al., 2014).
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Gets Set to Open - Hiiraan Online The Watercourses Convention aims to regulate the uses, as well as the conservation, of all transboundary waters above and below the surface. Hence, the customary law argument might be too ambitious.
Negative impacts of the GERD - Opinion - Ahram Online "The Blue Nile is the lifeblood of Egypt and its people and critics fear the dam could significantly reduce water flow to the country." "Climate change is such a big unknown. Learn. Following the fall of Mengistu Haile-Mariams regime in Ethiopia in 1991, Ethiopia experienced a remarkable rise in the construction of dams and hydroelectric power stations. It has also expressed concerns about the potential impact the initial filling of the dam will have on areas downstream. Ethiopias dam-construction strategy threatens not only Kenyas water-resource development efforts but also Somalias water security, as is evidenced by Ethiopias development plans for the Jubba and Shebelle Rivers. The Dam is used to generate electricity and went into partial operation in 2022. This has now changed due to political consolidation over the past two decades and the advent of alternative sources of external finance (to the traditional multilateral development banks), not least from China (Gebreluel, 2014;IDS, 2013). In that light, Egypt should minimize trips to Washington, D.C., New York, and Brussels, and instead use its diplomatic resources to improve its relations with the other riparian states. Practically from the outset, the World Bank and international donors withdrew funding due to a lack of transparency, driven home when it was learned that the construction had begun without a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency in Ethiopia. Article 5 requires that watercourse states utilise an international watercourse in an equitable and reasonable manner and creates the duty to cooperate in the protection and development of the watercourse. Ethiopia has two major plans for these rivers, which both flow into Somalia, in the form of the Wabe Shebelle and the Genale Dawa power plants. Afraid that a drought might appear during the filling period, Egypt wants the filling to take place over a much longer period. Both citizens and governments should be made part of the solution to the water-related conflicts that now threaten peace and security in the Nile Basin. The Friends of Lake Turkana, an NGO representing indigenous groups whose livelihoods are dependent on the Lake, filed a suit to halt the construction of the dam. Terms in this set (10) how long and high is the dam? According to some estimates, the Ethiopian government had to arrange for the resettlement of 1.5 million people in the four regions of Gambela, Somali, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz.
Egypt fears Ethiopia Renaissance Dam threatens water supply Nevertheless, it is important to take stock of the human costs, social problems, and lasting environmental impacts of this strategy which have already drawn considerable criticism and concern. But with a generation capacity of 6.45GW, the Ethiopian government quoted the project as vital to the country's economic growth. Link, P.M. et al. Finally, Ethiopia could make a strong case that the operation of the Dam is in alignment with the core principles of international water law, namely equitable utilisation and no significant harm. These are found in Articles 5 and 7 of the Water Courses Convention respectively and, despite the scepticism outlined above, arguably form part of customary international law. Since its inception, there have been two, highly contentious, products. The Grand Renaissance Dam and prospects for cooperation on the Eastern Nile. However, the Convention took almost twenty years to enter into force (from 1997 to 2014) due to the lack of necessary ratifications by states.
Impacts of Grand Renaissance Dam on Economic Development in Ethiopia It merely provides at Article III that Ethiopia undertakes not to construct any work across the Blue Nile, Lake Tsana, or the Sobat which would arrest the flow of their waters into the Nile. In other words, Ethiopia only agreed that it would not completely stop the flow of tributaries into the Nile. This is hardly a revelation, as this strategy has long been foremost in the minds of the ruling elites in Addis Ababa and supported by the international powers. The dam will flood 1,680 square kilometers of forest in northwest Ethiopia (an area about four times the size of Cairo), displace approximately 20,000 people in Ethiopia, and create a reservoir that will hold around 70 billion cubic . Indeed, Egypt has called the filling of the dam an existential threat, as it fears the dam will negatively impact the countrys water supplies. Both Egypt and Ethiopia could make arguments in support of their positions. In 2019, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee warned that the Gibe III Dam had already disrupted the seasonal patterns of Lake Turkana and that this would reduce fish life and harm local communities dependent on the Lake. As mentioned above, Ethiopias dam-construction strategy is intimately linked with large-scale foreign investment in the agrarian sector and specifically in areas near the artificial reservoirs created by the dams.
Revisiting hydro-hegemony from a benefitsharing perspective: the case In contrast, other watercourse states on the Nile have lent their support to the Dam. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. The treaties also purported to give Egypt veto power over upstream projects.
The controversy over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam - Brookings for seepage and evaporation, but afforded no water to Ethiopia or other upstream riparian statesthe sources of most of the water that flows into the Nile. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a 1.1-mile-long concrete colossus, is set to become the largest hydropower plant in Africa.