| Africa A site of cooperation
On 20 January 2020, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed released the following press statement, entitled The GERD as a Site of Cooperation, on the development of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. “Ethiopia has an ambition to build a modern economy based on agriculture, manufacturing and industry. It is committed to developing social infrastructure with quality education, health systems and the provision of clean water for its people. Ethiopia also aims to nurture a clean environment able to sequester carbon and emit net zero carbon; to maintain biological diversity and to build a resilient ecosystem that is not exposed to climate vulnerabilities. The key to realising such ambitions, however, is rooted in energy. For Ethiopia, the most comparative advantage in its energy generation needs is hydropower, as it is blessed both by topography and water resources. Electricity is a basic infrastructure lacking in Ethiopia
water continues to flow downstream uninterrupted. The benefits for downstream countries are often
untold. In Sudan, for example, the GERD provides ample protection against devastating floods and the effects of water shortage during drought and dry periods. It will help Sudanese water infrastructure to be operated optimally as they receive regulated flow. This means that more electricity could be generated
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam should be a site of cooperation Credit: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock. com
and over 53% of my fellow citizens or about 60 million people do not have access. Without electricity no country has ever managed to defeat poverty, brought about inclusive growth, secured a dignified life for its citizens, and managed to attain sustainable economic, social and environmental development. Hence why Ethiopia believes that Nile waters can be developed reasonably and equitably for the benefit of all people of riparian countries, without causing significant harm. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a good example that is demonstrative of the principle of cooperation. The dam has been constructed through the earnest contribution of all citizens of Ethiopia and holds multiple benefits for the two downstream countries of Sudan and Egypt, as well as the East African region at large. A large volume of the Nile water body, amounting to about 85%, originates from the highlands of Ethiopia. As a transboundary resource, this water traverses through Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The Ethiopia side comes from the tributaries of Abbay, Baro and Tekeze rivers while the other 15% of the Nile comes from other upstream Nile riparian countries. The GERD is under construction near the border with the Sudan, where all tributaries of the Abbay join the main stem of the river. This consequently makes the location ideal to maximize electricity generation. The major function of the GERD is to manage the highly variable
flow of the Abbay and produce 15,700GW of electricity - for Ethiopia electricity remains a resource that is enormously lacking. Large quantity of the flow (about 90%) occurs within four months of the rainy season and during the rest of the year the mighty Abbay trickles like a small river. The dam is needed to regulate this variable flow by reducing flooding and augmenting dry flow. Ethiopia’s intention in constructing the GERD is to enable
the regulation function so that electricity generation from the infrastructure is uniform throughout the year. This means, as a hydropower dam, the GERD does not consume water. Rather the
from existing infrastructure and adequate and regular water could flow in the river downstream throughout the year to enable reliable water supply for people, agriculture, and the ecology. The GERD also brings more energy to the already interconnected systems of Sudan and Ethiopia as well as to others. Egypt also benefits from water conservation at the GERD instead of wastage of billions of cubic meters of water to evaporation and in downstream flood plains. The GERD also helps to prevent future spillage that overtops the Aswan Dam.
Globally and in the Nile region, the GERD as a clean renewable
energy source would help to reduce emission that could avoid up to 10.6 million tons of greenhouse gases if it were produced from fuel, coal or gas plants. Hence, development of the GERD plays an important role in meeting and increasing renewable energy generation share towards Sustainable Development (SDG) Goal 7 and better water management of Goal 6 of the SDGs, as well as meeting many targets of Africa’s Agenda 2063. For the Nile region and for all its citizens, the GERD has a potential
to stabilise the energy mix. Hydropower, due to its nature of flexible operation and suitability, can be put in operation in a matter of minutes and can enhance harnessing of other energy sources of solar and wind energy that are variable depending on weather and climate. It will also enable affordable energy provision to the region. While perceived negative factors have been made more visible in the GERD discourse, the positive attributes rather outweigh the opposing rhetoric and downplay the potential for cooperation to mitigate negative factors, if such factors exist. It is time for our three countries of Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan to nurture the narrative towards building peace, cooperation, mutual co-existence and development of all our people without harming one another. The Nile in general and the GERD project in particular are opportune for such a higher purpose.” In response Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly issued
a statement on 25 January saying that Egypt is keen on reaching a legally binding agreement that meets the common interests, so long as Ethiopia achieving the maximum possible benefit in the field of electricity generation and sustainable development causes no harm to Egypt and Sudan. Furthermore, he added that the possibility of reaching the desired
agreement for GERD may establish a new phase of cooperation to achieve regional stability.
Located on the Sanaga River near the Nachtigal Falls, the new Nachtigal project will cover 30% of Cameroon’s electricity demand. The project was initially expected to be completed by the end of 2023, but due to delays caused by the pandemic, Nachtigal Hydro Power Company has now been tasked with starting operations of the first machine in July 2023, with final commissioning in July 2024.
Invest in water security The climate crisis caused massive disruption to
Africa’s human and economic potential in 2021 and will continue to do so until significant investment is made in the country’s adaptation capacity, said Alex Simalabwi, Executive Secretary of the Global Water Partnership (GWP) in Africa. And, according to the African Development Bank, the continent currently faces an annual water investment gap of US$49-54 billion: approximately equal to the 2021 GDP of the Democratic Republic of Congo or Cameroon. The GWP, a global action network focused on the sustainable management of water resources, warns f
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