"IT'S OUR DAM" Abyssinia Business Network /ABN/ Special Edition 2020 August

3 rd Year

# 26

August

2020 ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

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Editorial

The Inevitable

GERD

As the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/ nears completion, the downstream countries mainly Egypt has been leaving no stone unturned to try to hold the project hostage by imposing rules over the filling and operation of the dam.

Egypt is aggressively engaged in defaming Ethiopia mainly due to concerns of ‘water insecurity’ arising from a broader deal affecting their share of water for agriculture, industry and hydroelectric power generation. This, indeed, has struck fire and fury among all Ethiopians who are patiently waiting for the final light to come.

Both Egypt and Sudan have never consulted with Ethiopia or any other upstream countries when they have harnessed this great natural resource.

Nonetheless, it is Ethiopia's traditional role to gather around the table and dine together, to respect and honor others’ cultures and values. Though ignored and undermined, Ethiopia’s path to bring these countries to honest negotiations is still a possibility.

AS GERD is a matter of survival and sovereignty for Ethiopia, we have to make it clear that Ethiopia’s plan to utilize its transboundary water resource is in strict adherence to the principles of international law on Transboundary Rivers-the principles of equitable utilization and to not cause significant harm to downstream countries.

As long as Ethiopia takes legal and fair approach in harnessing its own natural gift, it’s inevitable that

millions of Ethiopians will get out of terrible darkness and poverty while preserving the interests of all riparian countries consistent with relevant international laws.

For the last decade, Egypt advocated for a model that promoted African solutions for African problems.

Many nations, as well as African citizens supported and championed it as sincere coming from a nation that benefited more and became rich on the Nile while Ethiopia did not. Why then has Egypt made a u-turn when it came to the Nile dam, ignoring a role for the African Union?

Egypt, in order to enjoy a win-win solution need to cease its unsympathetic diplomatic campaign against Ethiopia.

Because the Nile is a shared resource that links the people of the two great nations together and can be used as an opportunity to shed light on the many things that Ethiopians and Egyptians have in common.

The centuries-old bilateral ties between the two nations must build on these common assets, not on the unproductive narratives. The GERD is an opportunity for the two states to come together through honest dialogue and mutual respect and understanding, rather than confrontation and conflict.

Instead of saying the reservoir should be filled only after an agreement is reached, and vowing to use “all available means” to protect its “water interests”, Egypt must stretch hands to support the completion of the Renaissance Dam because it is inevitable that Ethiopia is filling and operating the dam as per its internationally recognized and accepted project design. It is inevitable that Egypt will eventually feel comfortable when it witnesses the amazing disappearance of siltation and the increase of Nile water flowing to its dams due to low level of evaporation at GERD.

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CONTENTS H.E Seleshi Bekele/PhD/

Gedion Asfaw/Eng./

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H.E . Gedu Andargachew

Roman Gebreselassie

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Abie Sano

36 H.E Abrham Belay /PhD/

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Brook H.Beshah / Prof. /

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Netsanet Lemessa 04

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Selamawit Dawit

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Sileshi Girma

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ETHIOPIAn

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Teshome Abebe / Prof. /

Haile Gebresilassie

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Samuel Tekleyesus

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Otoo Michael

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Eleni Gabre-Madhin /PhD/

Kebour Ghenna

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Getu Temesgen

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Otieno Ogeda

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Yetnebersh Nigussie

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Abraham Alaro

Zelalem Merawi

Tony Kamba

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Photo By Ethiopian Press Agency 06

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I am not worried that the Egyptians will suddenly invade Ethiopia.

Nobody who has tried that has lived to tell the story.

Meles Zenawi The late Ethiopian PM

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“ Nothing Under the

Sun Can Prevent us from Filling Our Dam!

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Abiy Ahmed /PhD/ Prime Minister of Ethiopia

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Aklile Tsige

Editor In Chief

Never in its history has Ethiopia made attempts to demand what it did not deserve. To that, it has never intervened in other nations’ sovereignty or socio-economic and political affairs; rather some direct and indirect attempts had been made by foreign elements to disrupt the internal stability and sovereignty of the country . However, This was not successful.

Egypt, which has been utilizing the Nile River for many centuries, has posed a strong opposition and resistance over Ethiopia’s fundemental right and proper utilization of the great natural resource- the Nile River. Sadly, there are millions of people in Ethiopia who do not have access to water and electricity.

The disagreement between Ethiopia and Egypt about the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has reached its most perilous point. Ethiopia has been building the hydropower project on the Nile’s principal tributary, the Blue Nile, alarming Egypt, which is located over 2500 kilometers downstream of the site and opposes the dam, which it believes will reduce the amount of water it gets based on Colonial ere agreements that didn’t consider Ethiopia’s interest. For the past nine years, Ethiopians from all walks of life and age groups have been contributing whatever they could to the realization of GERD, seeing light at the end of the tunnel. The Dam still remains to be the most significant public project Ethiopians have been longing for its light.

More troubling is that Egypt has begun lobbying international and regional institutions and countries such as the United Nations, the Arab League and the government of the United States of America; it has gone to the extent of pushing these parties to put pressure against Ethiopia to suspend the filling of the dam.

As the GERD nears completion, Egyptian concerns about what will be Africa’s largest hydropower plant are acquiring new urgency. In recent months, Ethiopians from every corners of the world have begun expressing their anger over Egypt’s move to hold the project hostage by imposing rules over the filling and operation of the dam.

Some Egyptian media outlets have been reporting that the Nile water is a matter of national security and hence 'a matter of life or death' for Egypt. But more than ever, it has also become 'a matter of life or death' for Ethiopians too.

Aklile Tsige is ABN Editor-in-Chief. Aklile Tsige speaks to various scholars, higher government officials and renowned personalities on the current situation of GERD and presents their reflections on the issue. Aklile Tsige has been serving as a journalist, documentary script writer, director, aviation training quality expert and communication specialist at different institutions for over 15 years. / Aklile Tsige can be reached at aklile08@gmail.com/ 10

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IT’S OUR DAM

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ETHIOPIA

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We are Building GERD on Our RIVER by Our own Public Finance, support, Expertise, and need.

Nobody has Political, Moral and Legal Right to Prevent Us from Building Our Dam. 12

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H.E . Gedu Andargachew

Minister of Foreign Affairs

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GERD: Lifting The People High

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he drive for Ethiopia to harness its hydrological potential is to meet its increasing demand for water due to population growth, to reduce the risk of prolonged drought and there by lift its people out of poverty. Eventhough the country is highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture resulting in its vulnerability to climate change impacts and still ranks low in its human development, until recently, its impressive economic growth, its stable leadership as well as its attractiveness as a foreign investment hub has put Ethiopia in the limelight.

At present, 74.5 per cent of the work of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which is located upstream of the major water users in Sudan and Egypt, is now complete and the first round of its storage reservoir has been filled successfully. GERD is a unique project that Ethiopians from all walks of life devote their energy, time, money and knowledge in order to take the desired road to development and prosperity.

A major benefit of the Dam will be hydropower production. All energy generated from it will be going into the national grid of Ethiopia to fully support development in both rural and urban areas.

The role of GERD will, therefore, be to act as a stabilizing backbone of the Ethiopian national grid. This is mainly expected to happen during rainy seasons, when there is plenty of water for hydropower generation.

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We are quite sure to complete the project successfully for we have legal and natural right over the waters of the Great River that constitutes 85% of the Blue Nile.

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Sileshi Bekele / PhD.Eng. / Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy

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atural

Incidentally, Ethiopia is endowed with rich and favorable climatic and landscape features that help obtain sufficient amount of rain falling from highland to lowland areas. This provides opportunity to unleash hydroelectric energy potential in different parts of the country.

Like Gilgel Gibe 1,2 and 3 hydroelectric projects,GERD also opens opportunities for building future similar projects in the highland areas. GERD is not the only mega project; there will be many more developments in the rivers including the Nile.

The road to finalize GERD was not simpleand smooth as anticipated.

There were two major bottlenecks in the construction process: i) Impediments in relation to the timeline of the initial plan;

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“Despite the Corona Virus/ COVID-19/ pandemic across the country and, the overall construction process is being undertaken in two shifts while taking appropriate precaution measures in and around the project.”

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After the introduction of the new political reform in the country, significant and effective measures have been taken to put the project on the right track.The civil work has increased from 80 per cent to 88.75 per cent, while hydraulic steel structures reached 33.18 per cent and electromechanical work is at 46.51%/ The overall project status is at 75 per cent. ii) The unpredictable and self-conserved behavior of Egypt which is trying to hold the project hostage by imposing rules over filling and operation of the Dam; Egypt has been trying to make the project political and global by insisting the reservoir should be filled only after agreement is reachedand vowing to use “all available means” to protect its “water interests”.

On 26 February 2020, Ethiopia refrained from signing the U.S.-drafted proposal regarding the filling of the

ABAy

R Dam’s reservoir and its operation, because during a prolonged drought season that would drain the reservoir to unacceptably low level. Ethiopian didn’t even attend February and March 2020 meetings. However, Ethiopia is willing to continue the negotiation process but confirms that it will as well start filling the reservoir this year.

Obviously, the Dam is critical to enhance development efforts and would benefit the whole region, including Egypt. Egypt’s claim to “historical rights” to the Nile waters, stems largely from outdated treaties to which upstream countries are not part of and are excluded by arrangements that are both unfair and illegitimate.

On the contrary, Ethiopia and other upstream nations want the Nile basin to be governed by a new transboundary cooperation framework, also known as the Comprehensive Framework Agreement (CFA). This is the most appealing solution.

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ight !

“We are quite sure to complete the project successfully for we have legal and natural right over the waters of the Great River that constitutes 85% of the Blue Nile.”

The mission to make Ethiopia a renewable energy hub in East Africa really goes in line with the national energy plan. Very recently, an agreement has been signed with two contractors to generate 300MW electric energy (150 MW each) from Corbetti-Tulu Moye Geothermal Project, 250MW solar energy, and many more projects are on pipeline.

Despite the Corona Virus / COVID-19/ pandemic across the country and neighboring states, the overall construction process is being undertaken in two shifts while taking appropriate precautionary measures in and around the project site. Much emphasis is given to Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

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safety and security of the workers of the Dam. As a whole, the participation and engagement of private businesses, development partners and the public at large in the project is unbelievable. As part of the Green Development policy, GERD appears to unite all Ethiopians more than ever. It is a living history igniting the inner potential to make the impossible possible.

It is certain to complete the project successfully because Ethiopia has legal and natural rights over the waters of the Great River that constitutes 85 per cent of the Blue Nile. No doubt the history of Adwa would be repeated by erecting GERD for generations to come.

“all available means”

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Recognizing Natural Right S

ince the inception of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/ Ethiopians at home and overseas have strongly held a belief that the River Abay, which is known by the name Blue Nile in the rest of the world, belongs to them. And the financial resources and the expertise invested on the dam, too.

Until 2011 Ethiopians only talked about the Nile, and did little. The idea that we turn one day to build a dam on the Blue Nile became rather a millennium old myth. No doubt, from geo-economic point of view, it’s the right dam in the right place. It is located where experts on the all-Nile system indicated as of the beginningof the 20th century.

Unlike the Aswan High Dam, GERD will create a deep lake, increase the quantity of water, and will have minimal evaporation while generating electricity for all. It is a win-win solution that Ethiopia has the right for an equitable share in the Nile and that no way it would give up. The Egyptians used to argue-and in a way continue to insist that they had historical rights, that Ethiopia had other options, and that they would never compromise on the gift of the Nile, which is the very life of Egypt body and soul.

This is an out-dated thought in the era of globalization; Egypt needs to avoid mentioning of “historical rights” as it would enjoy the current annual supply of water. It should also understand and accept the fact that the Great River Abay has its sources in Ethiopia that gives us a natural right over the use of the water.

The Nile Basin is a region that claims massive and diverse resources. It is very well connected through geography, faith, history and more. What seems to be lacking is the will to harness those resources

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Once we have developed such renewable energy resources, the next source will be nuclear and other means of energy that will significantly unveil the nation’s century’s old curtains of darkness

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Abreham Belay / PhD / Minister of Innovation and Technology

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in a manner compatible with the needs of individual countries. We appear to be left with cooperation and mutual benefit as the only way out.

“By the way, our demand or quest for fair and legal utilization of our natural resource is not limited to GERD only; a significant number of water projects will be developed across the Blue Nile tributaries” While Sudan supports the dam’s construction, Egypt initially rejected it because it considers it an existential challenge. Egypt later accepted the project and the three countries signed a negotiated Declaration of Principles agreement in 2015 which is serving as the basis for the ongoing technical talks. After the tripartite agreement, expert-level negotiations on the safety, filling and operation of the dam were progressing among the countries.

From the start we should not have asked permission from any other nation regarding the construction of GERD. Both Sudan and Egypt have never looked for permission or advice from Ethiopia when they built dams and developed waters of the Nile River. However, we Ethiopians do not have selfish and perilous behavior to harm any of the downstream countries. That is why, we, from the onset have gone into fruitful discussions, negotiations and cooperation agreement.

For Ethiopians now, GERD is a question beyond development and century’s old desire to get out of the quagmire of poverty and backwardness; tens of millions of citizens are living under frightening darkness while Egyptians and Sudanese are living under illuminating and sparking light. This’s really painful and irritating even to think of the disparity.

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By the way, our demand or quest for fair and legal utilization of our natural resource is not limited to GERD only; a significant number of water projects will be developed across the Blue Nile tributaries. There should be no negotiations over such use of natural resource.

The Egyptian leaders and politicians are very theatrical; they have aggressively been working on huge deception of the international community, disseminating fake narratives over the Blue Nile and going to the extent of noting that the River belongs to Egypt. They do so simply because they are scared of the potential that Ethiopia and other upstream countries would be powerful and economically independent as a result of ongoing and future development over the Nile.

No doubt, Egypt usually takes advantage of internal chaos and unrest in Ethiopia to fully ensure and maintain superiority over the use of the Nile River. Thus we need to be cautious on this and strengthen unity, peace and togetherness despite any political differences among various parties.

“Once we have developed such renewable energy resources, the next source will be nuclear and other means of energy that will significantly unveil the nation’s century’s old curtains of darkness” The disagreement and dispute among Ethiopia and the downstream countries: Egypt and Sudan may appear endless. But as far as projects we undertake over the Nile remain harmless and bring about mutual benefits, we need to simply keep doing our job as the saying goes the camels walk while the dogs bark. We won’t come to terms with these countries unless they respect and recognize our natural and legal rights to utilize the waters of the Blue Nile.

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B legal N Our demand or quest for fairA and utilization of our natural resource is not limited to GERD only; a significant number of water projects will be developed across the Blue Nile tributaries BYSSINIA USINESS ETWORK ABN

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GERD Furthermore, we should consolidate our diplomatic efforts in order to reverse the fake and fictitious propaganda Egypt has been waging against us, and reveal the truth and the objective realities on the construction of GERD. Highlighting the fact that the dam will never inflict significant harm on the downstream countries and it will avoid the disastrous silting at dams and evaporation of water in the downstream countries.

When it comes to Ethiopia’s current electric power sale, we could say that in spite of the insufficient electric energy the country generates, it is selling power to Djibouti and Sudan and plans to do so to Kenya and other nations in the region. This helps strengthen political, social and economic

cooperation and integration in the region.

With the ever-growing population and huge demand for energy in the country, the Government of Ethiopia has currently embarked on developing renewable energy sources. Power mix is our primary agenda. We have launched convenient energy policy that allows private developers engage in renewable energy production and distribution through Independent Power Producers /IPP/ initiative. This shall bring about significant changes in the country’s energy supply.

Once we have developed such renewable energy resources,the next source will be nuclear and other means of energy that will significantly unveil the nation’s century’s old curtains of darkness and shade light on the nearing Ethiopian renaissance.

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The Renaissance Dam Ethiopia has been building to generate electricity for economic development projects would not cause any harm to the Egyptian people.

Hailemariam Dessalegn

Former Ethiopian PM Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

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Abide by International Law Egypt through the 1959 agreement with Sudan have apportioned 100% of the Nile waters for themselves and have left behind the nine Nile Basin countries with zero meter cube allocation. That agreement is still valid and active for the two countries of Egypt and Sudan. So currently the rest of us, the nine countries, according to that agreement, have a zero meter allocation.

So that is the status now in terms of utilizing the Nile waters. For example, the electricity coverage in Egypt is more than 98% while it is around 35% in Ethiopia.

In terms of water use for irrigation also, Egypt has developed close to 4 million hectares of land; Sudan has developed close to 2 million hectares of land while Ethiopia has used only limited amount of its water resources.

Also in all other upper basin countries, there are irrigation potential but the developed portion is very minimum. Therefore, in terms of energy generation and overall GDP Egypt has the largest share among all the Nile Basin counties.

Ethiopia’s decision to build the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam /GERD/ remains to be a matter of survival. Ethiopia, indeed, has undertaken some projects in the Blue Nile Basin such as Tana Beles Hydroelectric project which has a capacity to generate 460 MW, Fincha hydroelectric project and some irrigation projects around Lake Tana and Fincha.

Nonetheless, these are not very substantial projects when compared with what has been developed over the past years in Egypt and Sudan. For the first time Ethiopia ventured to build GERD that is planned to generate some 6000 MW. This intention is misunderstood especially by Egypt that the project will

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Egypt is afraid of the fact that this dam will generate a self-reliance psychology among other African countries to build their own dams with their own resources.

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Gedion Asfaw / Eng. / Chairperson, National Panel of Experts and Technical Negotiating Team

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ABAY reduce the water allocation of Egypt and Sudan, which Ethiopia and the upstream countries do not recognize the self proclaimed water allocation.

Over the past years Ethiopia has opposed the 1959 agreement including the development projects in the two downstream countries.

The Toshika Irrigation project and Sinai Irrigation project have taken the waters of the Blue Nile out of the Basin which is against customary law. The upstream countries can carry out similar projects, taking the waters of the Nile out of the basin which is an inter-basin transfer.

This is rarely done in other countries Egypt carried out inter basin transfer of the Nile without consulting with other basin countries. They have transferred the waters of the Nile in to the desert, consisting of five lakes.

They are wasting the water through evaporation on Lake Nasir and Toshika Lakes.

International water law supports and promotes the use of water in one’s territory of any sovereign country.

There is also a provision that within a given geographical territory every nation has the right to develop its resources.

“Egypt is afraid of the fact that this dam will generate a self-reliance 26

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psychology among other African countries to build their own dams with their own resources.”

There is also an international law that any country that develops its resources should take into consideration downstream concerns that the development shall not inflict significant harm.

Egypt has developed close to 4 million hectares of land and built dams, inflicting significant harm on upstream countries by foreclosing development of water resources and claiming all the waters of the Nile among the two downstream countries.

People think that only upstream countries could cause significant harm on downstream countries, but downstream countries cause significant harm by foreclosing all water dependent development activities So we have to really understand that downstream countries can cause significant harm on upstream countries.

There was an understanding that Egypt’s act was hegemonic, showing and relying on military power, and using the waters of the Nile Basin without consulting with upstream countries. There are, of course, some elements of ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

truth in this notion. But it is now being challenged by all upstream countries, including Ethiopia. Now the accepted behavior is to agree on equitable and reasonable utilization of the Nile waters.

You cannot behave now as you used to. This is 21st century that international laws and orders should be respected. Countries are now building their respective capacities diplomatically, militarily and economically and the population of the Nile basin countries is exploding.

Thus the use of Nile waters should only be governed by international principles of equitable and reasonable use and not causing significant harm.

With regards to the changes in the number of turbines, Ethiopia wants to optimize the energy production and the generation capacity as related to the number of turbines. So the optimum solution was to have 13 instead of 16 turbines. That has nothing to do with negotiations with Sudan and Egypt. The change was done in connection with our power generation capacity and achieving the same energy output of 15,700GWh/year with reduced number of turbines.

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hopes and dreams to the realization of the dam As far as diplomatic effort is concerned, Ethiopia has not, in deed, focused on making unnecessary noises Ethiopia , however, has launched various diplomatic tours to Europe, the Middle East and other parts of the world, deploying its diplomats, politicians and scholars to reveal Ethiopia’s stand and negotiations on GERD. Our embassies are well aware of what is going on and trying to explain the current situation to the international community.

It’s advisable for Egypt to come to terms with Ethiopia’s proposal on the filling and operation of the Renaissance Dam. More significantly, Egypt has to look for other alternative sources of water for it has plenty of deep ground water; they have also begun desalination of Mediterranean and Red Sea waters, and other ways to reduce their reliance on the Nile.

Egypt may be afraid of the fact that this dam will generate a self-reliance psychology among other African countries to build their own dams with their own resources. ''The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is the dam of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.”

Negotiations should continue among Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt in order to

“The Grand

Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is the dam of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.” settle the disagreement. GERD is not the only dam in the world. There are 8,000 large dams worldwide and close to 240 agreements and treaties between upstream and downstream countries. Ours is not the first or the only negotiations going on among the three countries.

There has never been war over water sharing. So Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt should keep negotiating and resolve their differences. There is no other alternative; resorting to conflict will not ensure the water security of Sudan and Egypt. It will even make it worse if there is conflict in the region.

Despite the uncomfortable and inconvenient political climate, I Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

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am optimistic that the countries will resolve their differences. Of course, transboundary negotiations take time. The CFA negotiations, took some 13years; the Colombia, the United States and Mexico negotiations all had taken time.

All have to understand that there are millions of people along the Blue Nile, utilizing the water since Millennia, and the population is growing at an alarming rate.

Whether the downstream countries like it or not people will continue to use the waters of the Nile. No one can prevent farmers living along the Nile River from using the water and break the spiritual connection that exist among these people.

It’s my dam, your dam and our dam.

This is a motto that Ethiopians at home and abroad should adopt.

GERD belongs to Ethiopians who have contributed their finance, knowledge, time, energy, hopes and dreams to the realization of the objective of the dam.

GERD is a dam of this generation; it will be a dam of future generation. It is the dam of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. It is not only Ethiopians but also other African nations who should recognize that the Renaissance Dam is a symbol of self-reliance.

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Huge Public Mobilization Ahead

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he Abay River, one of the biggest natural resources to speed up Ethiopia’s economic growth and development, has been in history seen as stranger to its own people. Finally a historic day of event came in March 2011 when the Ethiopian government announced the commencement of Grand Ethiopian Reissuance Dam (GERD) during a ground-breaking ceremony held at the presence of the late PM Meles Zenawi, who said “the Dam will be constructed by us Ethiopians, by our own finance, human resource and peoples’ full participation’’.

Nine years ago when the GERD construction was launched, the government had strong confidence that the Ethiopian people will support the government to bring this long overdue dream of the nation to reality. When this huge project was initiated, it was without any kind of support or loan from international financial institutions.

The call for the construction of GERD was fully embraced by peoples of Ethiopia.They immediately acted and showed their enthusiasm by conducting big rallies and demonstrations, followed by massive contribution in kind and money. The private sector, civil servants and people from all walks of life, ranging from shoe-shiner to high profile businesses and the diaspora have begun to contribute and buy bonds. Every individual Ethiopian pledged to support the project since its commencement.

“Ethiopian scholars have begun to appear on global media outlets and disclose the selfish and fluctuating stand of Egypt on GERD to the international community. Thus, the usual public support gets back soon.”

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The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, for me, is a living history that breaks up "the spirit of the impossible". It is a symbol of unity and promising development

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Roman Gebresilassie

Head, Office of National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation on the Construction of GERD.

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Having created public forums at all levels, we have managed to bring together officials and scholars from the Ministry of Water, Irrigation, and Energy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These paved ways to clearly explain the public especially how Egypt is trying to take away Ethiopia’s natural right through false propaganda and misinformation, how negotiations are going, the status of the construction and related issues.Apart from buying bonds, farmers and residents in the catchment areas of GERD are believed to have contributed an estimated 81 billion birr worth of labor in undertaking significant soil and water conservation campaigns.

Government employees’ contribution to the project was very significant. They have bought bonds from their monthly salary per year in five rounds. Similarly, the Ethiopian diaspora, through public

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diplomacy, has contributed their share in terms of bond sales and donation.

The Council plans to launch a special fundraising campaign, including the third round mobile phone texting with continuous charging and Question and Answer competition via 8100A. Secondly, there would be a deployment of diplomatic missions overseas to explain Ethiopia’s ‘equitable and reasonable use’ principle.Internally too, information dissemination at universities, civic societies, and different institutions will be conducted.

“The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, for me, is a living history that breaks up the spirit of the impossible. It is a symbol

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Ethiopians at home = 12,352,806,155.44 birr Diaspora = 1.006,795,308.03 mil birr Miscellaneous = 232,997,628.20 birr

Total financial contribution /2011-2020/= 13,592,599,091.67 bil birr of unity and promising development”

people and no one should stop Ethiopians from using their natural resources.

Thirdly, we have intended to distribute a branding pin that depicts the image of the dam inscribed on it:“I put my Print on GERD” being sold for 50 birr.

Fourthly, various governmental and non-governmental institutions have been working a national tree-planting campaignwith the view to planting 5 billion various seedlings throughout the country.

All these contributions from all citizens of the country is to see GERD completed and bring about a change in the life of the Ethiopian population of which more than 50% has no electricity and clean water supply.

It is in this conviction and belief that we consider development as the right of the

In this regard, I would like to acknowledge all Ethiopians for their ownership and huge participation. I also would like to appreciate the Ethiopian diaspora for the demonstration they made and the petition they presented to the US State Department and the support gained by the Black Caucus in congress. Now with the negotiation progress on the right track and the first phase of water filling done, our office will do everything at its disposal to maintain the rising public sprit and resource mobilization until the completion of GERD.

8100A

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Diaspora’s Touch on GERD Established in March 2019, the Ethiopian Diaspora Agency mainly aims at facilitating and coordinating the participation of Ethiopian diaspora in the country’s overall social, economic, cultural and political activities. To that effect, the agency focuses on four major areas: Diaspora Community Development, Diaspora Engagement, Diaspora Information, Research and Communication as well as Rights and Legal Protection of the Diaspora.

Under the Diaspora Community Development Directorat ecommunity-based interventions of the diaspora to ensure Ethiopia’s development considering the state of the country in which the diaspora resides is dealt.

The Diaspora Engagement Directorate on its part facilitates the participation of the diaspora in trade, investment and tourism sectors by providing a single window service. It also promotes knowledge and technology transfer of the diaspora; remittance flow, banking sector investment and other diaspora engagement activities.

As the agency has the responsibility of collecting, analyzing and distributing information regarding the diaspora community and its current situation, Information, Research and Communication Affairs Directorates strive to achieve those goals.

In addition providing diaspora information, providing policy guidance for the government and other concerned stakeholders are priority tasks that the agency gives special attention to.

Considering Ethiopians living abroad have the rights to access services from the government, the issue of protecting rights and benefits of the diaspora is one of the main reasons why the agency has been established.Rights and Legal Protection Affairs Directorate is mandated to handle such issues.

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More significantly, different Ethiopian scholars have been making appearances on various global media networks operating mainly in Arabic, French and English languages, revealing the truth on GERD.

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Selamawit Dawit Director General, Ethiopian Diaspora Agency

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The Ethiopian diaspora includes all Ethiopians and Ethiopian origins who have left their country due to political, economic or social issues and are living in different parts of the world. The agency not only follows practices and principles that help the diaspora take interest in national issues, it also creates ways that will enable them to fulfill their part as a citizen.

“More significantly, different Ethiopian scholars have been making appearances on various global media networks operating mainly in Arabic, French and English languages, revealing the truth on GERD.” The diaspora community is not trailing on a shifting image of its position and status but rather a viable good representation that is based on citizenship and Ethiopian nationality. The agency works to promote excellent interaction between the diaspora and home following the notion that every diaspora counts irrespective of the country they live in and the profile they have. As a result, the diasporas’ participation on major issues of national concern are improving from time to time.

Coming to the nation’s mega project-the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/, the Ethiopian diaspora, like any Ethiopian

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citizen at home, have made significant contribution to the construction of the Dam in terms of financial support and expertise.

So far they have bought a total of 42 million USD bonds, donated finance and shared professional experiences.

It’s really very heart-touching to see an Ethiopian maid in the Middle East buying bonds from her meager monthly wage, hoping and dreaming to see the fruits of the project coming back home. In the last eight months alone (July 2019- February 2020) a total of 700,000 USD has been collected from bond sale in the diaspora.

The Ethiopian Diaspora Agency /EDA/ working in collaboration with 38 Ethiopian missions worldwide where significant number of Ethiopians are living, coordinates and facilitates support for GERD.While providing support to the diaspora coming home, EDA works closely with these missions to bring about common understanding on national agenda.

As a result of the collaborative effort between the agency and Ethiopian missions around the world, different Ethiopian scholars have been making appearances on various global media networks operating mainly in Arabic, French and English languages, revealing Ethiopia’s

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42 million USD bonds rights over the use of its waters, Egyptians unproductive narratives and defamation against Ethiopia. They have tried their best to help the international community gain insight into the objective reality on the construction of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Ethiopia’s position on negotiations with downstream countries.

Now these Ethiopian think-tanks have begun to organize themselves at continental levels and are carrying out different activities that are unveiling hidden truths and untold stories of Ethiopia as well as shaping false propaganda disseminated by Egypt regarding the Blue Nile in general and the GERD in particular.

“What is being done by Egypt is an attempt to forbid someone to eat the fruit grown on one’s land” Currently a plan has been set to launch a site visit to GERD for high-profile intellectuals so that they could gain insight into the construction process and work further to strengthening the diplomatic effort. The ultimate objective of this scholar-centered global campaign is, of course, to address the current misunderstandings between Ethiopia and the downstream countries, disclosing the fact that GERD is not a project that causes significant harm on those nations.

The Agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of Public Coordination and Participation for the Construction of GERD, has also planned to make use of international media outlets and convey key messages regarding Ethiopia’s position on the Renaissance Dam It is like a battle field, if not more than that, to provide financial support to GERD and stand at international forums to voice Ethiopia’s national interest.The Ethiopian diaspora, in this regard, is standing by the nation’s sovereignty, pride and respect of its natural right.

The Ethiopian diaspora is always ready to support Ethiopia in all aspects whenever their support is needed. For example, very recently, they have donated over 250 million birr in support of the fight against Corona Virus (KOVID-19) pandemic in the country.

GERD is mine; it’s the Dam of Ethiopian mothers and fathers. It’s Ethiopia’s hope. The Dam is a mirror displaying Ethiopia’s future, hope for solving various societal challenges across the nation. It should be completed by any means as it’s a matter of survival, moral, pride and sovereignty.

What is being done by Egypt is an attempt to forbid someone to eat the fruit grown in one’s land. That is absolutely impossible!

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Commercial Bank of Ethiopia/CBE/

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Energizing GERD

Ever since its establishment, the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia /CBE/ has significantly been playing a major role in the overall socio-economic development of the country. More importantly, its role in the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/ appears to be very critical.

As GERD belongs to Ethiopians, so does to the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia which has provided over 93.3 billion birr’s of the financial supply until last May 2020. In terms of foreign currency, the Bank has been pumping nearly 300 million dollars every year to the project. This’s a very significant share CBE has contributed since the commencement of the dam.

CBE has so far provided nearly 300 billion birrs for another hydroelectric and other sources of energy projects such as Giligel Gibe 1,2 and 3, solar, wind and waste-to-energy projects, among others.

With regards to CBE employees’ contribution to the projects, they have contributed their monthly salary in two rounds while the Bank bought a tenmillion birr bond although it is not significant.

CBE has not only undertaken loan supply service but it has also been dealing with complicated payment transactions and related financial management processes in the construction of the dam; the bank usually goes the extra mile to secure and supply foreign currency required for the project.

“GERD, for me, is a struggle against poverty and backwardness; it’s a move toward self-reliance.

GERD is our future source of foreign exchange and pride; it’s key for the liberation of our economy.”

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GERD, for me, is a struggle against poverty and backwardness; it’s a move toward self-reliance.

GERD is our future source of foreign exchange and pride; it’s key for the liberation of our economy.

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Abie Sano

President and CEO, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia/CBE/

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The Bank, more than any other government institution, is longing for the completion of the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam; it wants to reap the fruit of the project as it has a huge investment in the dam. For CBE that is backing the whole construction, completion of the dam is a matter of life and death; it’s only when we could manage to complete the dam that we ensure the effectiveness of the project.

No country can speed up its economy without effective and proper generation, production, and distribution of energy. Hence, CBE can be taken as the main agent in the country that could bring about significant changes in energy production and supply; it’s responsible to back such a vital economic engine.

The construction of Ethiopia’s first large hydropower dam on the Blue Nile is a source of national pride for all Ethiopians. The dam is the centerpiece of Ethiopia’s bid to become Africa’s biggest power exporter, with a projected capacity of more than 6,000 megawatts. Ethiopia will start filling the reservoir behind the dam in July 2020.

It is obvious that a number of factories and industries across the country are not operating with their full potential due to the ever-increasing energy demand and power shortage. 65 % Ethiopians are living in darkness; millions go to bed without having their dinner; even those able to feed themselves dine in darkness with harmful and unhealthy dim light produced from firewood and burnt gases.

I strongly believe that GERD remains to be the only megaproject in Ethiopia that has brought all Ethiopians from different walks of life wholeheartedly together, to make a living history that could change the nation’s image for the better.

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As an Ethiopian I burst into tears when I first heard the news that the cornerstone for the construction of GERD had been laid, hoping that a shared vision was set, courage and brevity came out in the country. It was a special moment I began holding the belief that Ethiopia could get out of dependency syndrome. The bold decision to launch the megaproject undoubtedly sparked a signal that proves Ethiopians could do anything they need without others' intervention, order, or command.

“The long-standing selfish behavior of Egypt to utilize the waters of the Nile River alone is an oldfashioned thought and is no longer acceptable.”

This mega project was, indeed, facing annoying mismanagement and delays in its construction process. The dam shouldn’t have been an experimental project for a local contractor with insufficient executing and quality management capacity. Though this caused huge public disappointment all over the country, it has now taken the right direction after the country embarked on promising socio-political reform.

Regarding public participation and engagement, I am not yet satisfied with what has been done so far to let the general public on the project. Had the public participation been managed systematically and meticulously, it could have been higher than what it is now. For example, the public didn’t expect or want the return of the bond sale sooner than the completion of the project. Hence, public coordination and engagement should be reinvigorated through other new and modern approaches; they should also properly understand the pressure inflicted upon the Federal government and share the responsibility.

GERD, for me, is a struggle against poverty and backwardness; it’s a move toward self-

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reliance. GERD is our future source of foreign exchange and pride; it’s key for the liberation of our economy. Every Ethiopian should understand the very essence, significance, and implication of the project; Ethiopia doesn’t have the intention to be prospering alone, affecting the wellbeing of neighboring countries.

Egypt that has been making attempts to halt and interrupt the construction, always gets scared of the scenario that more investment and development would come to the Nile basin countries; the longstanding selfish behavior of Egypt to utilize the waters of the Nile River alone is an old-fashioned thought and is no longer acceptable.

As nearing completion, GERD, more than ever, needs strong collaboration and unity among Ethiopians. Despite differences in political outlook, everyone needs to stand together to complete this mega project, and think of other similar mega projects to be carried out in years to come.

We need to launch an effective campaign to engage the whole citizens that could strongly develop a sense of ownership over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in particular and the Nile at large. I don't have the slightest doubt that I can see the light of the dam in just a few years’ time.

''IT'S OUR DAM''

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Ethiopian Insurance Corporation Ensuring GERD'S Safety

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n Ethiopia, modern institutionalized financial services such as insurance and banks have been playing significant roles in addressing societal problems. They are socially responsible institutions indeed. For ages Ethiopians had been receiving financial services through informal means, known locally as,“iqqubs”, “iddirs” and “mahbers”.

Ethiopian insurance in its modern form first began in 1905 when the then Bank of Abyssinia which was owned by the Bank of Egypt began to transact insurance as an agent of a foreign insurance company which would underwrite fire and marine insurance policies in Ethiopia.

Established on the 1st January 1976, the Ethiopian Insurance Corporation renders more than 15 types of policies in the life Insurance Sector. Life insurance policies can be bought individually and in-group, which enable the insured to get various benefits. The benefit gained from these insurance policies depends on the choice of the customers.

The different types of life insurance policies the corporation provides are: Endowment (Ordinary endowment, Anticipated Endowment Policy with profit, children% 2019s Education policy with profit, Annuity etc.)

(Individual Term life Assurance, Group and Modified Large groups Term Life Assurance, Individual and Group Mortgage Protection Assurance etc) Whole Life Assurance and Medical Assurance (Individual medical Assurance, Group Medical Assurance, and Executive Medical Assurance & Travel Health Assurance) are among the major ones.

The Corporation also prepares and provides policies, which go along with the social and economic standard

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I sometimes pay visits to my birth place where Dedessa River, one of Nile’s tributaries crosses the surrounding. I really used to feel angry and annoyed whenever I saw the River washing the fertile soil around, running, and flowing into Abay

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Netsanet Lemessa CEO, Ethiopian Insurance Corporation

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For instance, currently it has prepared new insurance policies like Floriculture, Condominium, Tea and coffee, Weather Indexed Crop Insurance, Warehouse Operators Liability Insurance. The major property and liability insurance services given by the Corporation are all risks, Aviation (Cargo and Hull), Bankers Blanket Policy, Burglary and House Breaking, Bonds, Condominium, Consequential loss, Crop Insurance, Engineering, Fidelity Guarantee, Fire and Lightning, Goods in transit, Inland Carriers liability, livestock, Marine (Cargo and Hull); money, motor, personal/Group Personal accident, Plate glass, Product Liability, Professional Indemnity, Public Liability, Workmen’s Compensation and the like.

The participation of the Ethiopian Insurance Corporation / EIC/ in the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/ can be viewed as a unique support for it provides all-risk insurance coverage such as earthquake flooding , volcano and related disasters for workers of the Dam. The Corporation has facilitated and rendered a 56 billion birr insurance coverage for the civil works of the Renaissance Dam being undertaken by the Italian based Salini Construction Company. Moreover,after the revision of the electromechanical works of the Dam, EIC has managed to render insurance coverage for Chinese Companies that are undertaking the specific task.

As a company we have first bought a-50-million birr bond in two rounds, but we have learnt that was insufficient and bought again a-150-million birr bond while our employees have individually bought in three rounds from their monthly salary.

With regards to coordinating global coverage, the Corporation has close relations with a reliable insurance broker company known as RIB which helps us deal with international insurers.

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Envisaging to be a world class insurer by the year, 2025,the Ethiopian Insurance Corporation provides more than 30 types of non-life Insurance policies. Non-life insurance policies are used to cover property and liability risks. The Corporation revises its policies regularly and produces new policies based on the country’s current economic development and the demand of customers.

GERD

of the society. In this aspect, the pre-funeral expense insurance can be cited as a good example.

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56 billion birr insurance coverage

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Despite delays in the construction process some three years ago, currently magnificent progress is being witnessed in every aspect of the construction, and the general public, more than ever, becomes aware of the right measures taken by the government to resume the construction with quality and standards set so far. This has strongly raised the people’s concern and interest in the Dam and brought back their trust in the Government.

“I sometimes pay visits to my birth place where Dedessa River, one of Nile’s tributaries crosses the surrounding. I really used to feel angry and annoyed whenever I saw the River washing the fertile soil around, running, and flowing into Abay” When I travel abroad for business purpose, I meet foreigners who are ignorant of the River Abay aka Blue Nile. These uninformed foreign nationals usually raised questions like: “Why does Ethiopia try to harm Egypt by building dam over the Nile?” Many of them don’t know the fact that the Blue Nile stems from the highlands of Ethiopia; that Ethiopia contributes over 85 % of the water of the River.

Interestingly enough, I am not bored to explain clearly the truth about the River and the construction of the Dam as many people as I could. I think, although there is a long way to go, that kind of wrong perception by foreign nationals has changed a bit.

I was born at a village around nearby Nekemt in Wollega, Oromia Regional State.I sometimes pay visits to my birth place where Dedessa River, one of Nile’s tributaries crosses the surrounding. I really used to feelangry and annoyed whenever I saw the River washing the fertile soil around,running, and flowing into Abay, then leaving the country to join the Blue Nile that feeds Sudan and Egypt, and ends in the Mediterranean Sea.

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From the beginning of creation the people of Ethiopia and Egypt have lived commonly using Abay the River /Nile/ one of whose sources is found in Ethiopia. This social integration they possessed by nature will continue without interruption.

countries in the Nile Basin. After watering Egypt downstream, it joins the Mediterranean Sea linking Ethiopia and Egypt for eternity. Thus Abay River is truly the foundation for the relations between Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and the Coptic Church.

The historic ties between Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and Coptic Church is traceable to the Pre-Christian Era manifested in different ways.

Ethiopia and Egypt have been frequently referred to in the Holy Bible affirming both countries are linked to each other by Abay River. Much as Egypt is called the gift of the Nile (Abay River), it may also be said that it is the gift of Ethiopia. 86% of the Nile water originates in Ethiopia with the reminder emanating from other

It is known that the civilization of both countries started along Abay River. Both countries share similar beliefs, culture, and government system. The peoples and governments of the two countries as well as Fathers of both churches very well realize that River Nile links Egypt with Ethiopia and the Coptic Church is linked to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. The teaching of church scholars has created among Ethiopians the sense of

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ownership of Abay as the gift of God. It is on account of this that Abay is the focus of our culture, sayings, political concern, and the religious teachings.

Even though the Ethiopian Eunuch had introduced Christianity to Ethiopia in 34 A.D., the administration of Christian ritual was introduced in the fourth century.

The foundation of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church was laid by Frumentius whom the 20th Alexandrian patriarch St. Athanasius had consecrated as bishop and sent to Ethiopia. This is a significant contribution the Coptic Church had made to the establishment of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Consequently, Ethiopian Orthodox

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The bonding river

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clergy and laity have high regard for and special spiritual attachment to the Coptic Church.

Athanasius’ consecration of Frumentius as a Bishop for Ethiopia has been a strong base for the 1600 years close religious and administrative relations the two churches had enjoyed. It is true both churches had the same patriarchs and Holy Synods for the majority of this time. This is the true manifestation of the unity and cooperation that has existed between the two sisterly churches in history. 110 Egyptian Bishops have served in Ethiopia since the first bishop Frumentius until the time of 5th Qerlos, the last Egyptian Bishop to Ethiopia. It may also be noted that in history events which had taken place in Egypt had affected relation and cooperation between the two churches because of the character of bishops sent.

The effort to raise Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church to the patriarchate level was fulfilled on Sene 21, 1951 E.C when His Holiness Abuna Basilius became the 1st Ethiopian orthodox Tewahido Church patriarch thus attaining the autocephaly for this Church.

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Tibebu Belete / Journalist /

Author and General Manager of Ahadu Radio & Television

Ethiopia and Egypt have been frequently referred to in the Holy Bible affirming both Countries are linked to each other by Abay River.

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GERD As the result of her autocephaly, Ethiopian Orthodox Church has been able to organize her administration the Holy Synod and expand the evangelization activities. In the intervening years between 1922 and 1987(E.C) there were two instances of interruptions of amicable relation between the two churches. These were first, during the Italian invasion, and secondly, because of the execution of His Holiness Abuna Theophilos. The second Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church by the Military Regime that deposed Emperor Haile selassie. But after His Holiness Abuna Paulose, Patriarch of Ethiopia, Archbisop of Axume, and Etchegies of Tekle Haimanote became patriarchies, the two churches resumed their relations, and began to exchange visits.

His Holiness Abuna Paulos first visited the Coptic Church in 1996 E.C on the invitation of pope Shenouda. Him Pope Shenouda III also paid a return visit to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church from Miazia 6-9 2000E.C which resulted in signing cooperation protocol agreement.

On the occasion of signing the protocol ,Pope Scenouda praised God for enabling the Churches resume their sisterly relationships.

Ethiopian Orthodox Church leaders visited the Coptic Church in Tirr 2007E.C upon the invitation extended to Him by the Egyptian pope and patriarch of St.Mark, on the occasion of Mesquel that enabled Meskel to get recognition by UNESCO and be included in word Heritage list Festival of 2008 E.C was Egypt were discussing on how they commonly and use the Nile River.

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Therefore, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido church believes and advocates that Abay /Nile/ is a gift of God which all countries which it passes through should equally and equitably use.

At Last I call upon all our people to show their Support for the successful completion of the renaissance Dam.

God bless Ethiopia.

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“

We Ethiopians will never fall asleep until we complete the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

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Semegnew Bekele / Eng./ Former General Manager GERD Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

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THE NILE: LOST CONFIDENCE IS HARD TO CONCEAL !

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or those of us who live in the West, the past few weeks have been devoted to collecting whatever is essential to protect ourselves from the health scare of Covid19. In my case, the doors are locked, the windows securely shut, and at those times when I have to venture out to get food supplies, I don my mask and wash hands as frequently as possible.

By taking these simple but necessary steps, I protect myself as well as others. Cooperative self-interest!

You would think that the world’s priorities would be to continue to safeguard against this nasty virus until it is under control, and in the process, to also note how fragile life is and has become. One of the lessons of the Covid19 health scare and any of the zoonotic disease outbreaks is that cooperation with other humans is a critical part of survival, and that noncooperation might yield short term gains but with lethal consequences.

have been wars or conflicts initiated by Egypt and its surrogates against Ethiopia. In all 16 instances, the victory has gone to the children of Abai ,the Ethiopians.

In at least three instances in the twentieth century, Egypt or its occupiers have attempted, through treaties, for Ethiopia to cede its rights to the Abai without success.

Over the past decade or so, Egypt has been pretending to negotiate an agreement with Nile basin countries only to leave the negotiating table when it appears it isn’t going to get its demands.

Egypt has had an almost veto power over International

Unfortunately, the leaders of the great people of Egypt have yet to understand that the future of their civilization depends largely on the cooperation of others particularly their neighbors.

Historians suggest that there have been at least 16 documented instances in history where there

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This short essay is a reflection on matters involving the Nile river here in after Abai and the most recent actions of Egypt regarding its purported “negotiation” with Ethiopia.

I am neither a water economist nor a lawyer (Al Mariam has done an excellent piece on this). I have keen interest on the topic and have also written a few essays on it. Without belaboring the minutiae of where, when, and how. Let us list a few significant points.

The Nile Basin Countries

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Financial Institutions to demand that no loans be made to Ethiopia that could be used to build any structure over the Abai river.

Since 2011, Egypt has been holding talks in a tripartite arrangement with Ethiopia and Sudan. These talks eventually led for Egypt to ask the United States to intervene on its behalf.

The talks between the three parties included the World Bank and the US Treasury department as “observers”. It is to be recalled that the US brazenly sided with Egypt when a statement was issued by the Treasury Secretary dictating to the Ethiopian side what they can and cannot do! This act was labeled by the Ethiopians as “undiplomatic”, and they refused to attend further talks for the time being.

Following the disruption of these talks in Washington, D.C., Egypt convened an organization, which it had founded and is based in Cairo, to take its side on the matter. The Arab League complied.

This complicity of the Arab League was so brazen that it angered even Sudan a member that it refused to endorse the final document.

Over the past several months, the Egyptians have been visiting several foreign capitals, both in Africa as well as in Europe, to explain their position in an attempt to isolate the Ethiopian side.

Over the years, there have been threats of a military conflict over the Abai, and these outrageous threats are made by the Egyptian side in an attempt to

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Teshome Abebe Professor Laureate and Professor of Economics and a former Provost and Vice President

THE NILE:

LOST

CONFIDENCE

IS HARD TO

CONCEAL!

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intimidate and cajole the Ethiopian side to submit to their wishes.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

bequeathed it to us. Even more than that, the Nile is the gift of Alah to Egypt!

Fourth, because of three above, the current regime in Egypt would rather leave the decision to others, including at least in their thinking, to the United Nations. Why it is anathema to Egypt to negotiate and sew up an agreement within the framework of the three countries, the Nile Basin Countries Agreement, and/or the African Union should not be a big mystery for all to see.

Meantime The Ethiopians simply continued their efforts on the moral task ahead: self-fund and build a dam on the Abai river. The purpose of the dam is to generate electricity. The discharged water will continue to flow as it had done for centuries less silt, and that both Sudan and Egypt would stand to benefit from the venture.

Fifth, having not succeeded in getting its wish so far, and recognizing the futility of military threat to cajole Ethiopia--conceivable that Egypt possesses more military toys than Ethiopia does-- the country has lost its confidence. And lost confidence is hard to conceal!

The Egyptian side has held on to the position that this was unacceptable for a number of reasons, but primarily because their constitution forbids any interference in the flow of the Nile, and as a consequence, it is the duty of every government to safeguard that interest. Mind you, this is their constitution!

Way Forward

In a continuation of their desire to assure complete control of the Abai at the exclusion of Ethiopia, the Egyptians are now reported to have placed a complaint to the Security Council of the United Nations.

What explains the Egyptian behavior and its manifestation in their most recent actions?

First, none of the mischief they have been engineering over the years has stopped Ethiopia from completing its moral task self-fund and build a dam in its own territory to generate electricity.

Second, at no time over the past few years was Egypt engaged in a sincere attempt at negotiating an outcome that is beneficial to all three sides: Ethiopia, Sudan, and of course, Egypt.

Third, it is my view that the Egyptian government does not want to enter into an agreement over Abai with Ethiopia because doing so would doom it. They have a population that has been reared being told that the Nile belongs to them. And Oh, there is, however, asmall, underdeveloped country without adequate means called Ethiopia from where the Blue Nile originates, and who has 30

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For the Egyptians: The way forward has always been the same: cooperate with Ethiopia and Sudan, hammer out an agreement, and secure the long-term interests of the Egyptian people. Nothing else will guarantee the interests of the Egyptian people in the long run than working together with the Ethiopians for mutual development. Every other scenario conjures up a lose-lose outcome.

For the Ethiopians: Scientists have concluded that there is only a certain amount of water on mother earth, and that total doesn’t change unless it escapes into space. What changes, however, is how that water is distributed through the Hydrologic Cycle the Water Cycle. That explains, in part, why dry regions are getting drier, and wet regions are getting wetter.

Because of the natural Hydrologic Cycle, Ethiopia should never enter into an agreement that specifies how much water flowing from its territory should be guaranteed to Egypt.

But by all means, bring the moral task to a timely, definitive conclusion.

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''IT'S OUR DAM''

# Door and Window # Curtin wall # Wall Cladding # Steel less Steel

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ETHIOPIA ABN; Ethiopians from all walks of life are saying that GERD is “Our Dam”. What is your impression on this current Motto ?

Prof.Brook; The Dam which is entirely financed by the government and people of Ethiopia is a source of pride for all Ethiopians.

This massive project when it is soon realized would propel Ethiopia out of poverty. GERD will play a decisive role in making Ethiopia become a middle-income country.

The $5 Billion Dollar Dam, when completed will be the largest hydropower project in Africa and generating 6,000 MW doubling Ethiopia’s demand / need as well as allow it to export electricity to neighboring countries including Egypt and Sudan earning hard currency.

The motto ‘It’s my Dam’ is very timely, appropriate, meaningful reflecting the justified feelings and aspirations of millions of Ethiopians.

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ABN; How do you describe Egypt’s fluctuating stand on GERD? Prof.Brook; Egyptians stand on GERD is bizarre, baffling and not sincere at most. They refer to an outdated unjust one-sided colonial era 1929 and 1959 agreements to which Ethiopia was not a party. This approach and stand of Egypt trying to impose their will and the attitude ‘my way or the highway’ is unacceptable and will not work on Ethiopia. Applying pressure on Ethiopia to stop GERD is interfering in Ethiopia’s sovereignty, its right to use its resource for socioeconomic development purposes lifting its people from abject poverty. The solution for Egypt is they should return to the Comprehensive Frame Work Agreement process (CFA) and negotiate in good faith with Ethiopia and the other Nile riparian states.

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ABN; What about the international water law? Does it stand in favor of Ethiopia?

Prof.Brook; Yes, the international water law stands in favor of Ethiopia for the following reasons. Ethiopia’s objective is to achieve equity and backed by winwin options. There is no instance where Ethiopia has a position that the entire Nile water generated from its territory fully belongs to Ethiopia.

The Honorable Brook Hailu Beshah, PhD Honorary Consul of Ethiopia to Ohio & Surrounding States of MI, IN, KY and Western PA.

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Instead Ethiopia’s stand was always this water is a shared resource. In addition, Ethiopia always is on record saying it abides by the principles and sprit of international law governing transborder international rivers using and managing such resources. Contrary to this Egypt’s position is ‘Nile belongs to Egypt in its entirety’ which contradicts the principle of mutual use of the resource of the Nile. The position of Egypt falls short of logic and common sense and undermines the principle of transborder international rivers. ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

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ABN; Many people argue that Ethiopia has not yet made effective diplomatic efforts to publicize the facts and legal procedures over the ongoing construction of GERD. What is your view on this?

ABN; From a journalism point of view what should be done by Ethiopian media houses to reach the international community and become successful in diplomacy?

Prof. Brook; I would say Ethiopia has scored success in undertaking effective diplomatic activities. But still, there are areas where we can do better. More work awaits Ethiopia. So far Ethiopia capitalizing on her moral ground has made a robust diplomatic activity explaining her case in key countries of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. In addition, Ethiopia has approached multilateral fora like in the UN, EU and AU explain her case and galvanizing support which has resulted in considerable success.

Prof.Brook; Ethiopia has asserted it’s right to use its own waters of the Nile. Ethiopia has expressed its position many times in communique released over the years by the various Ethiopian governments.

Areas, where Ethiopia can improve, are in the following areas. Ethiopia has the option of utilizing Track- two Diplomacy as a supplement to the directly linked governmentled negotiation. Track- two diplomacy uses individuals outside the government to carry out negotiations. In some cases, this type of diplomacy has resulted in success in some countries.

Another channel that can be deployed to augment the channel of diplomacy is public diplomacy. A few years back Ethiopia has sent public diplomacy delegation to Egypt targeting the Egyptian public and elite presenting Ethiopia’s case. Especially now this delegation has to be revamped and sent back to Egypt. Equally, the invitation should be sent to the Egyptian public diplomacy group. The dialogue on both sides should continue.

The work of the high-level diplomats, experts, and advisors from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Water, Irrigation, and Energy, members of the GERD Technical Team engaged in this multi-layered complex negotiation processes would be best served if the above suggestions are implemented.

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Ethiopia is filling and storing water in the GERD from its own legitimate share of the Nile waters. The filling and operation of GERD are not to contain water but filling it for the proper operation of the dam.

I would answer this question at two levels.

First, I believe one area where Ethiopia needs to work on where it’s falling behind is not being adequately visible in foreign media. Ethiopian diplomats, professionals, experts should come out of their shells and be engaged in giving interviews, writing articles in the foreign press, academic journals, and most of all actively debating their Egyptian counterparts. The media stage is dominated by the Egyptians and this should urgently change. Ethiopians should not be passive bystanders but active advocates explaining GERD and the position of Ethiopia to the Arab and the rest of the world.

Secondly, Ethiopia media unlike the Egyptian is not yet well developed, not organized, and lacks a broadcasting division in Arabic and other global languages such as French, Spanish, German just to name a few. The Ethiopian media both government and private owned don’t have journalists who speak the mentioned languages.

Ethiopia should quickly build teams of media experts to provide training, develop broadcasting materials on GERD, the Nile, package it, and broadcast it to Egypt, Sudan,

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ABAY and the Arab world. Ethiopia’s case will be heard by millions of Egyptians as an alternative to the one-sided presentation of the mainstream Egyptian media. Ethiopia needs to reach out to the peoples of the area reassuring them Ethiopia does not have ill intentions except generate electricity and lift its people from abject poverty.

Ethiopia needs to be visible in foreign countries.

Ethiopia has to do considerable work to bring specifically bringing its case to the Egyptian, Sudanese, Middle Eastern, and western media. The Ethiopian media should work towards exposing the Egyptian resistance to build GERD as creating unnecessary confusion and distraction contrary to international law.

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''IT'S OUR DAM''

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ABN; What do you think is the possible solution to resolve the current dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt over the filling and releasing of water of the GERD Prof.Brook; To resolve the current impasse between Ethiopia and Egypt in regard to the filling of the GERD and the release of the Nile water.

The following tangible solutions are suggested based on 1 to 6. * GERD is a matter of survival for Ethiopia where 60 Million Ethiopians are without access to electricity. Egypt should accept Ethiopia’s right to use Nile to generate electricity. * Egypt should stop its belligerence and return to the Comprehensive Frame Work Agreement process (CFA) * Egypt should sign an agreement not to divert water to the Sinai Peninsula out of the African continent without the agreement of the 11 riparian countries especially Ethiopia which contributes 86% which is the lions share.

* In addition, the following empirical facts as a package should be included to resolving the problem and they are: 1) Egypt to take account of Ethiopia’s contribution of 77 BCM per year. To make the GERD operational water has to reach 49.3 BCM. Egypt has to accept that Ethiopia would fill the Dam in 2 to 5 years.

2) Ethiopia will guarantee to Egypt … it will release incoming water flow if it is less or equal to 35BCM. 3) Ethiopia will guarantee the filling will take into account depending on yearly flow if it is close to or not to the threshold of 35BCM. 4)That the water if need be would be raised from 49.3BCM to 74BCM during rainy season. This is because Abay/ Blue Nile yields yearly on average 49 BCM on average.

5) Egypt will be reassured by the fact that Ethiopia has additional water that contributes an additional 27.7 BCM through its other tributaries like Baro, Dinder and Rahad, Tekeze, (plus there is the water inflow from the White Nile).

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Hence Ethiopia will guarantee to Egypt water shortages would be unlikely; 6) Egypt should admit the fact it’s Aswan High Dam (HAD) on average has a full capacity of 160BCM stored water enough for Egypt’s water needs.

Points 1 to 6 should continue to play central roles to resolve the dispute. the Ethiopian media should dismantle the Egyptian misinformation and resistance to build GERD as creating unnecessary confusion and distraction contrary to international law.

ABN

ABN; Anything to add?

History is on the side of the Ethiopian people. The goodwill and humility of Ethiopians should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness because it is not. Ethiopia has every right to use its water resources to generate electricity. GERD, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, is a matter of survival for Ethiopia. Once completed from its current 75% it will usher in indeed the much needed economic development and fulfill the energy demands of Ethiopia.

Professor Brook Hailu Beshah, PhD North Carolina State A&T University Department of History & Political Science.

Email: bhbeshah@ncat.edu brookhailubeshah@gmail.com

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Why do EthiopianS need a Grand Renaissance Dam ? getting Image

Samuel Tekleyesus Even though Ethiopia is called the water tower of Africa due to its comparatively large share of water resources, the country didn’t use its huge hydro electric power potential.Ethiopia has a huge potential to produce electricity from hydro power. Dam development in Ethiopia begins in 1932 by constructing a First Ethiopian Dam on Akaki River with 6 megawatt generation capacity.Since then Ethiopia has increased its electricity generation capacity exponential, but it is still not enough. Ethiopia is currently heavily reliant on hydropower. Currently, Ethiopia is capable of generating 4,500MW of energy, while it has a potential capacity to produce 45,000MW of hydropower, 10,000MW of geothermal and 1.3 million megawatts of wind power.

According to the World Bank, Ethiopia’s strong and economic growth over the past decade has lifted its GDP to a remarkable average of 10% per year. The government has been clear about how it wants to grow the economy and in the

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process the government plans to lift as many people out of poverty. The government is going above and beyond to strengthen the capacity of the private sector and also to attract FDI to support development. Ethiopia could supply a much larger economy than today, using only twice the energy consumed now and by implementing efficiency standards. Providing electricity access to all and electrifying productive uses will lead to a much greater economic development and sustainable growth.

Ethiopia can be considered as a role model of energy development for other countries in SubSaharan Africa. Why? Because by generating sufficient power not just for own use but also to become Africa’s biggest power exporter and to be a power hub for East Africa, the power generation work Ethiopia has embarked upon is impressive. One of which is the 4.8 billion dollar Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), with a generation capacity of more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity and helping extend power to the 65 million Ethiopians will be the largest hydropower project in Africa when completed in 2022. The constriction of the dam was started in early 2011.

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Ethiopia has a vast renewable and non-renewable energy resource - from Hydropower, Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Wood, Agricultural waste, Natural gas, Coal and Oil shale. Ethiopia has the potential to generate over 60,000 megawatts (MW) of electric power from hydroelectric, wind, solar and geothermal sources.

Table: 1. Ethiopia Energy Potentials

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Exploitable Reserve Exploited Percent

Resource

Unit

Hydropower

MW

45,000

<5%

Solar/day

kWh/m2

Avg. 5.5

<1%

Wind:Power Speed

GW m/s

1,350 > 6.5

<1%

7000

<1%

1120

50%

15-20

30%

Billion m3

113

0%

Million tons

300

0%

Million tons

253

0%

Geothermal Wood

MW Million tons

Agricultural waste Million tons Natural gas Coal Oil shale

Source: Ethiopian Electric Power

IT'S OUR DAM

Ethiopia Energy Resources

Electricity Export

Ethiopia Electricity Demand

Ethiopia exports electricity to Djibouti and Sudan (up to 100 MW/each). There is a plan to increase power exports to Djibouti up to 400 MW due to a growing demand in the region. Ethiopia is also concluded power export deals with Kenya and South Sudan.When the Ethiopia-Kenya 500 KV transmission power project completed, it will transmit 2,000 MW to Kenya and other East African countries. It aims to achieve regional power grids interconnection in the East Africa subregion. Ethiopia has plans to export up to 400 MW of electricity to Kenya and 400 MW to Tanzania.

Ethiopia’s hydropower potential is estimated up to 45,000 MW and is the 2nd highest in Africa out of which approximately 30,000 MW is estimated to be economically feasible. Despite potential, demand for electricity has been steadily increasing which lead the country to energy shortages and load shedding. Ethiopia’s rapid GDP growth over the periods created a growing electricity demand that is forecast to grow by approximately 30% per year. For this reason the government Under GTP II has

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planned to increase the installed generation capacity by an additional 5,000 MW by 2022.

Currently the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) is running more than 14 hydropower and three wind power plant projects throughout the country with approximately 4,500 MW of installed generation capacity. But this is not enough.

According to the Ministry of Water, Irrigation, and electricity National Electrification Program 2.0, 44% of the country has access to electricity (33% on-grid, 11% off-grid). 11% of its population already has access through decentralized solutions and still the per-capita consumption of electricity remains relatively low. However, over half of the on-grid consumers do not have a formal connection, 3.8 million households.

According to Africa Energy Outlook 2019, the national energy balance is dominated by a heavy reliance on traditional biomass energy sources such as wood fuels, cropresidues, and animal dung.

Lack of access to renewable energy source which is clean, efficient and environmentally safe is a critical limitation on Ethiopian economic growth and sustainable development. Recognizing it, the government has started constructing and investing on large scale hydroelectricity projects, with a view to developing renewable and sustainable energy sources.

Many agree that energy is an important factor in all sectors of the economy.So far, Ethiopia has failed to meet the growing demand for electricity both for residence consumers and industries. For this reason and as industries are a back bone of the economic development the country need to

provide a steady supply of electrical power and for that big hydro power dams are required. Electricity export to neighboring countries generate additional foreign currency and considering the high demand of electricity specially by Sudan and Djibouti, the country has a potential to use the export and work on the high tread balance deficit. Continuing the export without interruption is a must for the country in addition to meeting the national demand.

In conclusion, Ethiopia need a big power generation dam not only GERD, but more, as it is very important for a country to meet the energy demand to stay in the course of development and economic growth. It should be highlighted that when the country meet the demand, then it can solve the majority of its problems like clean water issues, unemployment and much more. It will also be used in modernizing the backward agriculture and provide much needed electricity for industrial development. For a country that plans to be a Light-Manufacturing Hub and a destination of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa,energy especially renewable energy is one major required input on the plate for offer.In addition, exporting energy will be a steady foreign currency source for the import dependent economy of the country. Cumulatively the dam is avital component of Ethiopia’s economic and a backbone of the country transformation plan to become a middle income country by diversifying its economy away from agriculture.

Therefore,building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is not a luxury but rather a must for the country's existence.

MBA in Finance

Lecturer, Researcher and Business Consultant

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Africa’s Common Voice The over-stretched issues around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) leave no eyewitnesses to the situation settled. Not long ago, African member states signed an agreement to accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations (AfCFTA), scheduled to commence on the1st of July. COVID-19 gives room to extend discussions on salient instruments to permit the full implementation of this agreement.

Africa is still far away from the distant future to achieve Agenda 2063 albeit; we are progressively making decent strides towards achieving the Africa we want.

Africa cannot afford to take the risk of our golden ticket to a defined and unified African Voice. The COVID

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-19 pandemic not only highlights vulnerabilities and deficiencies, however on the contrary, it just shows everyone how relevant AfCFTA is to Africa. As we see close in borders, restrictions on international travels, in most countries constraints on internal activities influencing global trade, decreasing supply chains.

Lockdowns in Africa costs 2.5% ($65 billion) on our annual GDP. The Nile River is a long transboundary river, but also one of the most water-scarce river basins in the world. The geopolitical feud between Ethiopia and Egypt over claims of the share of the Blue Nile to build the dam, which worries downstream country Egypt if matters get out of the clutch is inescapable on Africa. It bears to mention there is a lot at stake. African geopolitics cannot catch up with the complexities of a ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

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GERD

revolution because of escalations from the feud in these challenging times.

Over the last few decades, with particularly decisive changes in three years on the $4.8 billion project, the hydro-diplomacy on the Nile River basin has unrolled considerably.

Current misconceptions surrounding the GERD’s purpose is a failure to establish a few basic facts and ensure the public has access to accurate information. Words and actions shape our reality. The stand-off on the progress of the GERD project is due claims such as this: Egypt is an intransigent country that refuses to allow Ethiopia to exploit its water resources and build dams to achieve development and generate electricity for the poor Ethiopian population deprived of services.

The issue is highly politicized that “it seems to suppress legitimate engineering inputs and environmental

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d. Accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent is flawed.

Under the auspices of African member states, the Union and other key African stakeholder organizations can marry efforts to lead negotiations between Egypt and Ethiopia to lay out procedures for discussions, key implementation phases with important milestones defined and agreed upon by involved member states.

Otoo Michael Operations Coordinator, PACCI.

discussions as well as public discussions. I suggest that concerned authorities should make the project transparent, and “consider finding bridging solutions that meet the needs of all parties involved”. A new approach to dealing with these issues, via the innovative use of water diplomacy and water management tools (transboundary) is necessary.

The speed at which African Union Member States ratified the AfCFTA, gives a glimpse of the resolve, the commitment, and the readiness of Member States to move into the next key steps thus, implementation and delivering results. As far as the GERD project is concerned, the vision of the African Union to: a. Achieve greater unity and solidarity between African countries and their people b. Defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity of its member states c. Promote peace, security, and stability on the continent

Member States individually and collectively can influence critical decisions on a highly complex matter. These interventions can or will directly influence the speed and quality of implementation of the GERD project that brings transformative results with measurable impacts on local populations’ livelihoods. A Coordinated diplomatic effort through the African Union is required to help Africa speak with one voice and address the long-standing issue between the two countries as well as calling to invoke the spirit of solidarity fundamentally behind the principles of the international relation system to ensure that the countries can have fair access to the Blue Nile.

The successful implementation and maintenance of the AfCFTA is a wide-range of conditions. Cutting across multiple issue areas, and thus varying from the concrete to the abstract. As a continent, there are significant long-term benefits to increasing intraAfrican trade that can be shared by all.

Ensuring stability, peace and security, and a sensitive eye is required towards harmonizing economic integration, as well as geopolitical will are crucial in the implementation of AfCFTA and boldly achieving Agenda 2063. Therefore, promoting national economic development and facilitating mutual understanding in Africa cannot be over emphasized and their role in AfCFTA implementation is essential.

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GERD: Set to Benefit Africans Since its inception almost a decade ago by the then Ethiopia’s former Prime Minister, the late Meles Zenawi, a couple of debates have been ongoing in a bid to either stop or slow down the construction of the 4.5B dollar Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Egypt has been raising concerns over this project for what most analysts say is the water flow interruption based on the past treaties. Besides, the bilateral relations between the two countries have been put to test since the dam was started in 2011.

According to Zenawi, the project was critical to the country’s development efforts and the region at large. In his mind, the regional states included the East African countries and the Egyptians whose livelihood depends on the Nile waters. As the debate rages on how Ethiopia plans to fill the GubaWoreda based dam after completion, pundits believe Sudan may hold a crucial key to the progress of this project. Although previous talks on the mega project have born little fruit, the mega project stands to give cheaper hydropower to the region that would eventually propel economic growth in the Horn of Africa.

Currently, the filling of GERD is proving to be very contentious with the major stakeholders, Ethiopia and Egypt disagreeing on the timeline and the modalities. With over 73 percent of the work completed, Ethiopia is proposing to kick off the fill-

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up in a couple of weeks. According to Ethiopian Minister for Water, Irrigation and Energy, Seleshi Bekele, “the mobilization of the dam reservoir to start in July, in about a month away.” This has not only irked Egypt but the perceived negotiator Sudan seems to be playing numerous diplomatic cards to not be seen to be hurting the two “hydrobrothers”.

With the completion of GERD, it is obvious Egypt’s 55.5 billion cubic meters water flow is likely to be interrupted alongside a few farmers along the Blue Nile Basin. But development analysts believe that the bigger picture lies within the benefits the dam is likely to bring a region grossly underserved with the much need electricity to boost manufacturing and industrialization.

Even though it would interrupt trade for usual power exporters like Uganda due to increased regional power supply, farming for South Sudan and Sudan’s rural natives, and Egypt’s reliance on the Nile on the domestic front, the benefits the GERD brings to the region is enormous.

Antony Okonji, Development Consultant believes that in a continent where more than 600 million people have no access to electricity, any kind of power generation is welcome. “I have worked in development and seen the impact small scale solar power interventions have brought to ordinary people. These include

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learning, commerce, agriculture, access to information, healthcare, and a diverse improvement in livelihood,” he added.

He says such a project will be greatly beneficial to the larger East and Horn of Africa. Although there are arguments against GERD for environmental and climatic reasons, one must realize that it will infringe on territorial resources of various countries which can be resolved on a round table. The largest hydropower of about 6,000MW upon completion will triple the country’s current electricity production with great windfall potential for the Ethiopian government.

The power generation by GERD will also bring down market costs in the power generation and distribution in the region with key producers likely to readjust their prices to its neighboring countries.

On an international platform, the dam erases the profitable gains made by investors of clean and renewable energy in the region and some of whom are major western businesses. It is one of those grand development projects that interrupt the status quo but will most likely benefit the region more than it would damage it, revealed Antony.

Essentially, the benefits far outweigh the risks and closer scrutiny will reveal the invisible hand of businesses, politics, and development proponents. All in all, Africa needs such infrastructure even just as symbolic successes in electricity generation for a continent branded ‘dark’ for its little electricity connectivity.

Otieno Ogeda

CEO, Finend360 and Communications Expert on Development in Africa.

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GERD: to Light up South Sudan getting Image

GERD

GERD : To Light Up South Sudan

T

he last fortnight witnessed the flow of mixed reactions among citizens of South Sudan and Ethiopia when media reports alleged that Egypt was granted a piece of land close to the latter’s border upon which to build a military base.

The feelings that creeped through society seem to emanate from recent escalation in events surrounding Ethiopia’s efforts to boost its energy levels by constructing a dam over the Nile, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Depending on who you spoke to, many felt the timing of the rumored bilateral deal between Cairo and Juba did not meet the purpose.

Well, this fears were swiftly countered when South Sudan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, James Morgan, issued a statement denying any agreement has ever been reached with Egypt on the alleged military base.

“If any force intends to attack Ethiopia via South Sudan, it will first face the people of South Sudan,” Morgan told Ethiopian Press.

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“The information is completely false. The information is shared by a group who has interest to undermine the existing cooperation between the two countries,” He said.

An expert in the know of events along the Nile Basin says the construction of the Dam seem to have little to no impact on South Sudan’s share of the Nile waters.

But also notes it indicates just one of many hurdles countries along the longest river on the continent have to deal with when matters regarding this precious natural resource comes to discussion.

Well, South Sudan has been planning on building a number of Hydro-electricity dams to meet its energy demands along the Nile.

Fulla Rapids in Nimule was named as one site for such dams. Unfortunately it has not come to pass as yet. This was meant to boost ever increasing demands for clean and reliable energy.

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“If any force intends to attack Ethiopia via South Sudan, it will first face the people of South Sudan,” Morgan told Ethiopian Press.

As recent as 2019, South Sudan agreed with Uganda to extend power to the border towns of Nimule, Kaya and Kajo Keji. This was to increase power utility and boost trade.

Tony Kamba

Editor In Chief Mix Business Newspaper South Sudan

A similar situation could be confirmed from the GERD, once it is completed.

At 6.45 gigawatts, the dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa when completed, as well as the seventh largest in the world.

With such capacity, power exports to Sudan, Egypt, Kenya, Djibouti and even South Sudan could mean reducing the carbon footprints produced by generators running on fossil fuels in these countries.

For instance, South Sudan currently relies on power supply from huge generators to power its capital, Juba. And of all the population, less than 1% is connected to the current grid and less than 4% in urban centres have access to electricity.

For most households with no access to the grid, individuals have decided to go on installing solar systems.

However most households and small businesses cannot afford the luxury of solar power due to cost implications.

While it could be one of the most expensive ventures to import power to Juba from Ethiopia due to nearly 900kms stretch between the two locations, it will be a good serve to border towns.

If both governments decide to ink a deal, border towns will receive unhindered supply of electricity anytime.

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ጌጡ ተመስገን ( የጉዞ ማስታወሻ )

የዓባይ ልጆች

ምንጭ (በቅርቡ ለህትመት ከሚበቃ የተወዳጁ ጋዜጠኛ ጌጡ ተመስገን የጉዞ ማስታወሻ መጽሐፍ የተወሰደ)

‹‹ለምን?!›› ሲሉ ጠየቁ አባባ ይግዛው፡፡

ጐጃም፤ ደብረ ማርቆስ …

ከውሰታ በላይ፣ እነአገሬ ቤት ነን … አንጀት የሚያርሰውን የጐጃም ‹‹ይሄ ደርጉ … ‹ንጉሡ ይግዛው›፣ ጠላ በ‹‹ሎጋው›› ብርጭቆ ሸጋ ‹ኃይለ ሥላሴ ይግዛው፣ ‹ፀሐዩ ይግዛው› እና ‹ጥሩ መንግሥት እንሸመጥጣለን … ይግዛው› … ሲባል የንጉሡ የማይጠገበውን የ‹‹አቦይ›› ጨዋታ ወዳጅ ወይም ቤተሰብ መስለኸው ከጣፋጭ ግብጦ ጋር እያዋሃድን አቦይ እንዳይተናኮልህ ነዋ!›› በማለት የሚያወጉንን የአባባ ይግዛው እውነተኛ መለሱ ሰውዬው፡፡

የልጅ ስም ከአባቱ ብሎም ከአያቱ ስም ጋር፣ በወጉ ገጥሞና ትርጉም

ይሰጥ ዘንድ በጥንቃቄ ተመርጦ ነው የሚሰየመው - በጐጃም።

ገጠመኝ በተመስጦ እናዳምጣለን፡፡

ማለፊያ ተገኘ እያደረ አዲስ ባላገር አደመ አንተነህ ተስፋዬ መድኃኒት አገኘሁ ዳርእስከዳር ሞላ ተስፋዬ አበበ ጊዜው ከበደ አገሬ ምናለ ዘመኑ ዳኛቸው መልካምሰው ታዬ …

ሥላሴ›› ሲሉ ሥም አወጡለት። ሦስተኛው ልጅ መጣ - ‹‹ፀሐዩ›› ብለው ‹‹ማን ብለህ ትቀይረው?›› ሰየሙት። አራተኛዋ ከተፍ አለች - ‹‹ቀለጠ!›› ‹‹ጥሩ መንግሥት›› ብለው ጠሯት። ንጉሡ ቀለጠ ኃይለሥላሴ ቀለጠ ንጉሡ ይግዛው ፀሐዩ ቀለጠ ኃይለ ሥላሴ ይግዛው ጥሩ መንግሥት ቀለጠ ፀሐዩ ይግዛው

እንዲህ እና እንዲያ ያሉ ትርጉም አዘል ስሞች በብዛት ወደሚገኙባት ጐጃም የዘለቅነው፣ ሰውዬውን ፍለጋ ነው። አባይን የተሻገርነው ስም ከሚጋራው ከታላቁ ወንዝ ጋር በጥብቅ የተሳሰረውን፣ በልጆቹ ስም በኩል የዘመናት ቁጭትና ፀፀቱን ተስፋና ምኞቱን የገለፀውን የአቶ አባይን ዳና አነፍንፈን ለማግኘት ነው። ከማርቆስ ደምበጫ፣ ከቡሬ ዳንግላ፣ ከአዴት ገረገራ፣ ከሞጣ ደብረወርቅ ጐጃም ዙሪያ ገባውን ስናስስ ሰነበትን።

አባባ ይግዛው ጥቂት አሰብ በግርማዊ ቀዳማዊ ኃይለሥላሴ ዘመነ - አደረጉና እንዲህ አሉ … መንግስት …የቢቸናው አባባ ይግዛውና ባለቤታቸው አይናቸውን በአይናቸው ‹‹እሱስ ልክ ነህ! … ግና የሁሉንም ልጆቼን ስም አዩ። በመቀየር ከምደክም፣ የአንድ የራሴን ስም ብቀይር አይሻልም ‹‹ንጉሡ›› አሉት ልጃቸውን። ሁለተኛው ልጅ ተከተለ - ‹‹ኃይለ ትላለህ?›› …

ጥሩ መንግሥት ይግዛው

ወታደራዊ መንግስት ንጉሡን ከዙፋናቸው አውርዶ በቮልስ ዋገን ሸኘና መንበረ ሥልጣኑን ተረከበ። ያሰጉኛል ባላቸው ላይ ሁሉ ሰበብ አስባብ እየፈለገ ‹‹አብዮታዊ እርምጃ›› መውሰዱን ተያያዘው፡፡ ወደ ብዙዎች የሚሰነዘረው የደርግ አብዮታዊ በትር፣ የሆነ ጊዜ ላይ ወደ አባባ ይግዛው ጐራ ብለው ስጋታቸውን ገለጹላቸው።

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ከአቦይ አንደበት የሰማነው ‹‹ስም ተኮር›› ወግ፣ የቢቸናው አባባ ይግዛው ግለሰባዊ ገጠመኝ ብቻ አይደለም። በመላው ጐጃም ለዘመናት የዘለቀ ትርጉም የሚሰጥ የስም አወጣጥ ልማድና ባህል አለ። ጐጃም ስም ሲያወጣ አስቦበት ነው። የጐጃም አባት በልጆቹ ስም ውስጥ ደስታውን፣ ‹‹እኔ እምልህ ይግዛው … የነዚህን ሃዘኑን፣ ተስፋውን፣ ምኞቱን፣ ልጆች ስም ብትቀይረው አይሻልም?›› ትዝብቱን፣ ቁጭቱን፣ ምሬቱን እና ብዙ አይነት ስሜቱን አሉ ሰውዬው። ያንጸባርቃል። 70

Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

በስተመጨረሻ … ራሱን ሰውዬውን ባይሆንም፣ የሰውዬውን ወላጆች አድራሻ ለማግኜት ቻልን። የአቶ አባይ ወላጆች አባባ ምህረት አለሙን እና እማማ ቢተውሽ ጠሃይነህ ወደሚኖሩባት ፊታችንን ወደ ደጀን አዙረን፣ ወብላት ጊዮርጊስ ማልደን ገሰገስን።

ABN

IT'S OUR DAM

ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

Getu Temesgen Getu Temesgen Media & Communications

Managing Editor እማማ ቢተውሽ ጥቁር እንግዳን በአክብሮትና በፍቅር ተቀብሎ ማስተናገድን ተክነውበታል። በ1943 ዓ.ም. የወለዱት ሁለተኛ ልጃቸው አቶ አባይ ለልጆቹ ስላወጣቸው ‹‹ትርጉም አዘል›› ስሞች ሰምተን፣ አድራሻውን ፍለጋ

እንደመጣን ነገርናቸው። ‹‹አይ! ... እሱኮ አዲሳባ ተገባ ዘመንም የለው! …›› አሉን እማማ ቢተውሽ። ይሄን ያህል ርቀት መድከማችን ሳያሳዝናቸው አልቀረም።

Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

‹‹እኔ እምልዎት እማማ … ለልጃችሁ ‹አባይ› የሚል ስም ያወጣችሁለት በምን ምክንያት ነበር?›› አልኳቸው። ፈገግ እንዳሉ ጥቂት አሰብ አደረጉና እንዲህ አሉኝ፤ ‹‹ዓባይ የሚለው ቃል በጣም ትልቅና

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

71

እንደ አባት በክብር የሚታይ ነው፡ ፡ ዓባይ ሁሉንም ነገር ይሰጣል፡ ፡ በኢትዮጵያውያን ዘንድ በጣም የተከበረ ወንዝ ነው፡፡ እግዚአብሔር እንደ ዓባይ ወንዝ የማያልቅ ሀብት ስለሰጠን፣ እኛም የልጃችን ስም ዓባይ አልነው›› አቶ አባይ የሚገኙበትን የአዲስ አበባውን አድራሻ ሰጡንና፣ በአክብሮትና ፍቅር እስከደጃፍ ድረስ ሸኝተውን ተሰነባበትን።

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ወደ አዲስ አበባ ተመልሰን፣ ዘነበ ወርቅ ተብሎ በሚጠራው ሠፈር ውስጥ ወደሚገኘው የአቶ አባይ ምህረት እና የባለቤታቸው ወ/ሮ ጥሩ ብርሃን መኖሪያ ቤት አቀናን። ከ1971 ዓ.ም. ጀምሮ በኢትዮጵያ ንግድ ባንክ ያገለገሉትን የአቶ አባይ ምህረት፣ የስድስት ልጆች አባት ሲሆኑ፣ የሁሉም ልጆቻቸው ስም አወጣጥ ከዓባይ ወንዝ ጋር በቀጥታ የተቆራኘ ነው፡፡ ‹‹የሰው ማንነቱ ከስሙ ይጀምራል›› ይላሉ - አቶ አባይ፡፡ ይህን አባባላቸውን ከልጆቻቸው ስም አወጣጥ ጋር እያቆራኙ፣ ሁሉንም በዝርዝር አወጉን፡፡

ተፈራ ዓባይ ኅዳር 3 ቀን 1969 ዓ.ም. የአቶ ዓባይ ምሕረት የበኩር ልጅ ተወለደ። ስሙም ተፈራ ዓባይ ይባላል፡፡ የስሙን አወጣጥ በተመለከተ አባትዬው ሲናገሩ እንዲህ ይላሉ፦

‹‹የዓባይ ወንዝ ውሃችንንና አፈራችንን ይዞ እየሄደ በዝምታ እናልፈዋለን፤ እንፈራዋለን፡፡ የዓባይ ወንዝ ዛፉንም፣ ግንዱንም፣ አፈሩንም ጠርጎ ለዘመናት ሲወስድ ማን ይናገረዋል?… በክረምት ወንዙ ሲሞላ ሰው ሁሉ ለመሻገር ይፈራዋል፡ በዚህ ምክንያት የመጀመሪያ ልጄን ተፈራ ዓባይ አልኩት›› ዱሮ ዱሮ ነው አሉ … አንዲት እናት ልጇ የዓባይ ወንዝን ሊሻገር ሲሞክር፣ በአደገኛው አዞ ተበልቶ ይሞትባታል። ‹ግባተ መሬቱን አትድገሙ እናንተ፣ ታዞ ሄዷል እንጂ ልጄ መቼ ሞተ› አለች አሉ እናት ሙሾዋን ስታወርድ። የወንድሟ ሀዘን ልቧን የበላት እህትም፣ በሰም ለበስ ቅኔ እንዲህ ስትል የውስጧን ስሜት ገለፀች … ‹ላንድ ቀን ትዕዛዝ ሰው ይመረራል፤ የእኔ ወንድም ታዞ ዓባይ ላይ ይኖራል› አባት በበኩላቸው … ‹ልጄን አትጥሉብኝ ቢያዛችሁ ተሹሞ፣ አዞ አያውቅምና ከዚህ አስቀድሞ› በማለት ሙሾዋቸውን ሞሸሹ፡፡ ‹‹አባቴ! ሕልሙን እየኖረ ነው›› ይላል የአቶ አባይ ምህረት የበኩር ልጅ ተፈራ ዓባይ ስለ አባቱ ሲናገር።

*** 72

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ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

"እኛ አሁን ለመገንባት አቅሙ ላይኖረን ይችል ይሆናል፤ ነገር ግን ዛሬ እኛ በምናስቀምጠው ራዕይና አቅጣጫ ነገ ከነገ ወዲያ ልጆቻችን ይገነቡታል!"

- ቀዳማዊ አፄ ኃይለ ሥላሴ (1957ዓ.ም) ስንታየሁ ዓባይ ጥር 11 ቀን 1973 ዓ.ም. የአቶ ዓባይ ምሕረት ሁለተኛ ልጅ ተወለደች - ‹‹ስንታየሁ›› ተባለች፡፡ ‹‹የዓባይን ወንዝ ብዙ ሰዎች ከየአቅጣጫው እየመጡ ያዩታል፡ ፡ አገር ጎብኚዎች፣ ተመራማሪዎች የጎጃም ምድርን በረገጡ ቁጥር በወንዙ ይደመማሉ፤ ስለ ወንዙ ያወጋሉ፡፡ ከዚህ ተነስቼ ነው ሁለተኛዋን ልጄን ስንታየሁ ዓባይ ያልኳት›› ይላሉ አቶ አባይ። ፍቼ፤ ገርበ ጉራቻ ከተማ፣ ኮማንደር ሠፈር ዘልቄ ያገኘኋት ስንታየሁ ስለ አባቷ እንዲህ ስትል ነገረችኝ፤ ‹‹አባቴ ሁልጊዜ በአባይ ወንዝ እንደተብሰከሰከ፤ እንደተቆጨ ነው፡፡ በዓባይ ወንዝ ዙሪያ ከሚሰማውና ከሚያየው ተነስቶ፣ ‹‹ስንታየሁ አባይ›› አለኝ፡ ፡ ስሜ ከአባይ ጋር የተቆራኘ በመሆኑ እኮራበታለሁ፡፡ ለአባቴም ታላቅ አክብሮትና ምስጋና አለኝ››

ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

ተናኘ ዓባይ ሰኔ 20 ቀን 1975 ዓ.ም. የአቶ ዓባይ ምህረት ሦስተኛ ልጅ ወደዚህች ዓለም መጣች። አባቷ ተናኘ ሲሉ ሥም አወጡላት - ተናኘ ዓባይ፡፡ ዓባይ እርሷ ከመምጣቷም በፊት ሆነ ከመጣች በኋላ እየፈሰሰ፣ ከድንጋይ ድንጋይ እየዘለለ፣ እየተላተመ፣ አንገቱን ደፍቶ፣ ድምፁን አጥፍቶ ከመጋለብ አልቦዘነም፡፡

የኢትዮጵያ ሰባት ወንዞች ድንበር ተሻጋሪ ናቸው ። ወደ ኢትዮጵያ የሚገባ አንድም ወንዝ የለም።

‹‹ዓባይ ዓባይ፣ ዓባይ ዓባይ፣ ዓባይ ዓባይ፣ ዓባይ ዓባይ፣ ያገር አድባር፣ ያገር ሲሳይ፣

ABN

ያላገሩ ዘምሮ፣ ያለቅኝት ከርክሮ፣ ዓባይ ያለ አሻራ ዞሮ …›› ይህ ዜማ በኢትዮጵያውያን ሲዜም የኖረ ነው፡፡ ታረቀኝ በዳሶ ደግሞ፣ የኢትዮጵያውያን ሕመም፣ እንዲህ ሲል ነበር በብዕሩ የከተበው። ‹‹እስከመቼ ድረስ ሲተረት ይኖራል? ዓባይ ማደሪያ የለው ግንድ ይዞ ይዞራል፡፡›› ‹‹የዓባይ ወንዝ አፈሩን፣ ውሃውን

Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

73

ኢትዮጵያ

ይዞ ሱዳንና ግብጽ ለዘመናት ናኝቷል፤ ሄዷል፡፡ ተናኘ የሚለው ሥም፤ የዓባይ ወንዝ በኢትዮጵያ ላይ ያሳደረውን ቁጭት ይገልጻል››

ይላሉ የተናኘ እናት ወ/ሮ ጥሩ ብርሃኑ፣ የሦስተኛ ልጃቸውን የሥም አወጣት ሲገልፁ።

የግብፅ ሕይወት ዓባይ ታህሳስ 13 ቀን 1977 ዓ.ም. የአቶ ዓባይ ምሕረት አራተኛዋ ልጅ፤ የግብፅ ሕይወት ዓባይ ተወለደች፡ ፡ አዳማ በፒኮክ ጠጠር መንገድ ተጉዘን አገኘናት፡፡ ‹‹አባታችን የሦስት ወንዶችና የሦስት ሴቶች ልጆቹን ስም ከዓባይ ወንዝ ጋር አያይዞ ነው ያወጣው፡፡ እኔ የግብጽሕይወት ዓባይ የሚለውን ስሜን በጣም እወደዋለሁ፡፡ የግብጽ ሕይወት ዓባይ፡፡ እውነት ነው፤ የግብጽ ሕይወት የዓባይ ወንዝ ነው፡ ፡ የኢትዮጵያ ሕይወት ግን የዓባይ ወንዝ አልሆነም›› አለችን፡፡ ግብፃውያን የሕይወታቸው መሠረት ለሆነው የዓባይ ወንዝ ከ10 ሺህ በላይ ዜማዎችን አቀንቅነውላታል፡፡ የእኛ ሀገሯ ባለቅኔ፤ እጅጋየሁ ሽባባው ደግሞ፣ዘመን ተሻጋሪ በሆነው ድንቅ እና ጥልቅ ዜማዋ ‹‹የማያረጅ ውበት የማያልቅ ቁንጅና›› ስትል ዓባይን ታሞካሽዋለች፡፡ ደግሞም መለስ ብላ ታሽሟጥጠዋለች፡፡ ‹‹… ብነካህ ተነኩ አንቀጠቀጣቸው፣ መሆንህን ሳላውቅ ሥጋና ደማቸው፤ የሚበሉት ውሃ የሚጠጡት ውሃ፣ ዓባይ ለጋሲ ነው በዚያ በበረሃ፤ … አንተ ወራጅ ውሃ ቢጠሩህ አትሰማ፣ ምን አስቀምጦኃል ከግብጾች ከተማ?... ›› 74

Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

ይገደብ ዓባይ

መጋቢት 23 ቀን 1984 ዓ.ም. ሰማይ በወገግታ ሲጣቀስ፣ የምድረ ኢትዮጵያ የተስፋ ጡቶች ሲያግቱ፣ የአቶ ዓባይ ልብ ትርታ ተጨምቆ ጠብ ያለው ምኞታቸው፤ ይገደብ ዓባይ የሚል ነበር፡ ፡ እንደለመዱት ህልምና ራዕያቸውን በአምስተኛው ልጃቸው ውልደት አወጁት፡ ፡ የአብራካቸውን ክፋይ ‹‹ይገደብ ዓባይ›› ብለው በመሰየም ትንቢት አዘል ቀጭን ትዕዛዝ አስተላለፉ፡ ፡ የዘመናት ምኞታቸውን በደማቅ ቀለም አኖሩ፡፡ የአቶ ዓባይ ባለቤት ወ/ሮ ጥሩ ብርሃኑ ከልጃቸው ሥም ጋር የተያያዘ ገጠመኛቸውን እንዲህ አወጉን፦ ‹‹ልጄን ይገደብን የራስ ሕመም ይዞት አለርት ሆስፒታል ወሰድኩት፡፡ ካርድ ለማውጣት በመስኮት ቆምኩ፡ ፡ ነርሷ ‹የታካሚው ስም?› ብላ ጠየቀችኝ፡፡ ‹ይገደብ ዓባይ› አልኳት፡፡ እየሳቀች ጻፈችው፡ ፡ ተራው ደርሶ ወደ ሕክምና ክፍሉ ለመግባት ነርሷ ስሙን ዳግም መጥራት ጀመረች፡ ፡ ‹‹ይገደብ ዓባይ፤ ይገደብ ዓባይ›› አለች፡፡ ‹ያንቺ ልጅ ነው?› ብላ ጠየቀችኝ፡፡ ‹አዎ› ስላት ‹አልሽውና› ብላ ታካሚውን ሁሉ አሳቀችው፡፡›› ተፈራ ዓባይ ‹‹አባታችን ሕልሙ እውን እየሆነ ነው›› ብሏል፡፡ የግብጽ ሕይወት ደግሞ ‹‹በፊት የስማችን

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

አወጣጥ ብዙም አያስደንቀኝም ነበር፡፡ ሰው በስማችን ለምን እንደሚደነቅ ግራ ይገባኝ ነበር፡ ፡ በአባቴ የስም አወጣጥ፤ ከዓባይ ወንዝ ጋር የተቆራኘው የታሪክ ሰንሰለት አልገባኝም ነበር፡፡›› አለች እየተቆጨች፡፡ ‹‹አባቴ የኢትዮጵያ ታላቁ ህዳሴ ግድብ የመሠረት ድንጋይ ከመቀመጡ ከ19 ዓመት በፊት ‹ይገደብ› የሚል ስም ለእኔ ማውጣቱ አስደንቆኛል። ከቤተሰቡ ክብር ይልቅ የሀገሩን ክብር እንደሚያስቀድም በልጆቹ ስም አወጣጥ አስመስክሯል፡ ፡ አባቴ ከ19 ዓመታት በፊት የኢትዮጵያን ህዳሴ ግድብ የመሠረት ድንጋይ በእኔ በልጁ ስም ላይ አስቀምጧል፡ ፡ በዚህ አጋጣሚ አባቴን በጣም አመሰግነዋለሁ፤ አከብረዋለሁ፤ አደንቀዋለሁ፡፡›› ይላል ይገደብ ዓባይ። ይገደብ ዓባይን ‹‹ስምህ አሁን ወቅቱን ጠብቃ የተበጀች ናት! የኢትዮጵያ ታላቁ ህዳሴ ግድብ የመሠረት ድንጋይ ከመቀመጡ 19 ዓመታት በፊት አልወጣልህም›› የሚሉ ተከራካሪዎች በተደጋጋሚ ያጋጥሙታል፡፡ በዚህን ጊዜ የመጀመሪያ ደረጃ ትምህርት ቤት ሰርተፍኬት ወይም የሚኒስትሪ ካርዱን በማሳየት ስሙ ነባር እንጂ አዲስ የወጣለት አለመሆኑን ያስረዳል፡ ፡ ተከራካሪዎችም ይረቱና ‹‹ይገርማል! … ይደንቃል!›› በማለት ይጨብጡታል፤ ያቅፉታል፡፡

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ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

ABN

ግብጽ ኢትዮጵያ ጋር ለ18 ጊዚያት ጦርነት ገጥማ 18 ጊዜያት ተሸንፋለች ። ይህ ወርቃማ ድል በታሪክ መዝገብ ላይ በክብር ተመዝግብዋል ። የኢትዮጵያ ታላቁ ህዳሴ ግድብ የኃይል ማመንጫ ጣቢያ ፕሮጀክት የመሠረት ድንጋይ በቤንሻንጉል ጉሙዝ ክልል ጉባ ወረዳ መጋቢት 24 ቀን 2003 ዓ.ም. በክቡር አቶ መለስ ዜናዊ የኢ.ፌ.ዲ.ሪ መንግሥት የቀድሞ ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር ተቀመጠ፡፡

ይታያል ዓባይ ሐምሌ 22 ቀን 1987 ዓ.ም. ያቆጠቆጠው ተስፋ መዓዛው እየቀረበ መጣ፤ የፍርሃቱ ጥቁር ሰማይ በብርሃን ውበት ሲገፈፍ ልባቸው የሞላው አቶ ዓባይ ምሕረት ህልማቸው እውን የሚሆንበት ቀን መድረሱን በልጃቸው ስም ገለጡት፡ ፡ ስድስተኛ ልጃቸውን፤ ይታያል ዓባይ ብለው ስም አወጡለት፡፡ የእነ ተፈራ አባይ እናት ወ/ሮ ጥሩ ብርሃኑ ‹‹ስድስተኛውን ልጅ ይሄነው ዓባይ ልንለው ፈልገን ነበር፡፡ ነገር ግን ይታያል ዓባይን አስቀደምን›› ሲሉ ስለ ሥም አወጣጡ ገልፀዋል፡፡ ይታያል ዓባይ በበኩሉ፤ … ‹‹ዓባይ ሥም ነው እንጂ ምን ጠቅሟል ላገሩ፣ ትርፉ ለሌላ ነው ሄዶ መገበሩ፡፡ ›› … የሚለው ሥነ ቃል ሊቀር ነው መሰል›› አለ - ከራሱ ሥም አወጣጥ ጋር በማያያዝ፡፡ Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

‹‹ይታያል ዓባይ›› የሚለው ሥም ትርጉሙ ‹‹እውን ይሆል፤ ይገደባል፤ ይታያል›› የሚል መልዕክት ያዘለ ነው፡፡ የዓባይ ልጆች ብዙ ናቸው … ለልጆቻቸው ከዓባይ ጋር የተቆራኘ ሥም ያወጡት አቶ ዓባይ ምሕረት ብቻ አይደሉም፡፡ የወሎ ዞን ወረኢሉ ከተማ ገበያ ዳር ሠፈር አቶ ዓባይ ፍስሃም በልጃቸው ስም የመሠረት ድንጋይ አስቀምጠዋል፡፡ የአራት ልጆቻቸው ስም፦ ‹‹ራሔል ዓባይ፣ ይገደብ ዓባይ፣ ኅሩይ ዓባይና ቤተልሄም ዓባይ ነው፡፡ አዲስ አበባ ቡልጋሪያ ማዞሪያ የሚኖሩት ቤተሰቦች፤ ለልጆቻቸው ዘላለም ዓባይ፣ ቅድመዓለም ዓባይ፣ ረድኤት ዓባይ፣ የግብጽሕይወት ዓባይና ይገደብ ዓባይ የሚሉ ሥሞችን አውጥተውላቸዋል፡፡ እነዚህ ኢትዮጵያውያን ለዘመናት በዓባይ ወንዝ ግራና ቀኝ ሲዋዥቁ፣ ከላይ ታች፤ ከታች ላይ መማሰናቸውን ማሳያ ነው፡፡ ‹‹እስመ ስሙ ይመርሖ ሀብ ግብሩ›› ስሙ ወደ ግብሩ (ተግባሩ) ይመራዋል(ና)… ቤተሰብ ማለት አገር ማለት ነው፡፡ አገር የቤተሰብ ድምር ውጤት ነው፡፡

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‹‹ይታያል ዓባይ፡፡››፣ ‹‹ይታያል ዓባይ!››፣ ‹‹ይታያል ዓባይ?›› ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

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It’s Our Dam

It is widely known that our country Ethiopia shares over 85% with the world’s longest river the Blue Nile, but it has not harnessed its own natural resource as it should be. The downstream countries mainly Egypt has remained to be the major obstacle through its false propaganda and unfair diplomatic relations with some powerful states especially the United States of America as well as through its conspiracy acts and illegal interference to block financial support for development of infrastructures in the country.

There are nearly 60 million Ethiopians living without electricity; especially people in rural areas have been suffering a lot due to lack of electric power required for cooking, mill operation and other basic activities. As a result, people have been cutting trees for fire wood and other purposes that contribute to environmental degradation and soil erosion as well as recurrent famine and drought across the country.

Ethiopia, though registered remarkable economic growth over the past ten or plus years, still has a long way to get out of the quagmire of poverty; there are millions of people going to bed hungry, suffering severe health and other challenges. Realizing this urgent need to escape backwardness and low standard of living, we Ethiopians have begun the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/ with our own financial resource and expertise.

This great Dam undoubtedly helps the nation boost its economic resources, powering the ever-increasing industries, factories, small and medium enterprises, housing and building construction as well as other related economic activities besides providing light for millions of cottages in rural areas in the country.

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Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

"... Especially people in rural areas have been suffering a lot due to lack of electric power required for cooking" Now the Renaissance Dam is nearing completion despite Egypt’s opposition and efforts to put pressure on Ethiopia to cease the filling and operation of the Dam. We are very desperate to fairly utilize the waters of the Blue Nile without causing Significant harm harm on the downstream countries; we are about to see light at the end of the tunnel. I strongly believe that the international community understands that it is our right to use our own river. It’s in strict adherence to the international agreements and treaties that we are building the Renaissance Dam. I am anxious to know how fair and positive is the rest of the world to support our effort in getting out of poverty. I hold firm belief that it is OUR DAM anyways.

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

ABN

IT'S OUR DAM

ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

Haile Gebresilassie World Athletics Legend

Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

Words of My Son I believe the subject of the GERD touches the heart of every single Ethiopian. It is a deeply emotional issue, partly because we feel the weight of the unfairness of the previous agreement on the usage of the Nile waters, partly because we feel that GERD will give us the necessary resources to power up our economy and improve the livelihoods of all Ethiopians, and partly because it is a matter of pride that we refuse as a people to be bullied or swayed by outside forces. Our intention is not to hurt our neighbors but to share what God has given to all of us in ways that benefit all of us. We believe that Ethiopia can show the world that fairness and good neighborliness is possible without compromising the interests of our people, now and for generations to come.

Ethiopia should rely on its own lawyers and experts and handle the matter among Africans to find an equitable and sustainable way to share the resources. This is a unique moment in Ethiopia’s history and Ethiopia must go deep into its own traditions of elders and of the principles underlying cooperation among Africans, as a founding leader of the Organization of African Unity.

I borrow the words of my 19-years old son, Zega RasWork, who recently wrote the following about the meaning of the GERD to him and to all of us: “Indeed, the economic and political future of Ethiopia rests with the fate of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. May I remind us all that as Ethiopians, fighting is in our blood, progress is our destiny, and victory is our heritage. Let there be no question that the legacy of so many brave Ethiopians who gave their lives to shape the day we live in now, and the bright future of so many young Ethiopians that this dam ensures, demands our financial and patriotic commitment to seeing this dam built and operational.”

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Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

GERD touches the heart of every single Ethiopian.

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

ABN

IT'S OUR DAM

ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

Eleni Gabre-Madhin /PhD/ Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

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Address Bole ,Behind Mega Building Inside Tennis Media Compound

Addis Ababa , Ethiopia 80

Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

Web- www.gizebar.com

Email; gizerestaurant@gmail.com Tel ; +251 938 101 112 , +251 911 626 226

ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

GERD: ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

ABN

My History and Pride

Zelalem Merawi

Founder and Managing Director

Zelalem Tour and Travel and Ker Ezhi Ethiopia Leather Manufacturing

I usually associate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with the historic Victory of Adwa our forefathers registered against the Italian invaders. It is my history, my pride and hope to see a better Ethiopia in the years ahead. When I think of what I do for my country I confidently say that my contribution to the Renaissance Dam is the history I am making. No doubt that this history of mine and my generation could also be remembered by our children and grand children.

As a citizen I have bought bonds on behalf of each of my children and the whole family since the commencement of this historic dam. I have also significantly contributed to the construction of the Renaissance Dam through my company Zelalem Tours and Travel Agent, and ker Ezhi Ethiopia Leather Manufacturing and sponsored tours and travels of teams of various institutes and visitors who were enthusiastic to visit the construction site and the dam.

While this generation is exerting efforts to produce light out of our great Nile River, repeating history of our forefathers, the coming generation will add values on the dam to establish new and modern tourist attraction by creating magnificent sceneries of forests, resorts, lodges, birds and wildlife. We Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

have to take the experience of developed nations such as the United States of America which have well developed the largest dam in Arizona, USA called Hoover Dam as a unique tourist site and significantly generate income by raising tourist-flow in the county.

More importantly, there would be an opportunity to create amazing aquatic zone that could be favorable for the production of variety of fishes, crocodiles and other aquatic animals. This obviously helps the country harness its immense potential in sea foods like the Nile Perch which the country has huge potential and crocodile skin as well as crocodile skin goods export. Other developments will also be feasible by future generation over the River Nile.

At this juncture I should like to recall an unexpected question my 9-year-old daughter, Bersabeh Zelalem raised some 4 months ago: “Dad, why Egypt and Ethiopia get into dispute?”, and I told her that while this generation is building GERD for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power, the country will never sign agreement with Egypt that might affect the intentions of future generation on the Nile River. The same reply was given by the Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Sileshi Bekele broadcast via EBC when he was giving a statement on the current negotiation Ethiopia has with downstream countries.

This is really a critical time that we Ethiopians from all corners and walks of life need to stand in unison and realize the construction of this Grand Dam despite any differences we have. I am confident that we will complete the DAM and see light all together, making a mesmerizing national history again. I, as a business person serving the nation in the hospitality industry nearly for 15 years, strongly believe that GERD is my DAM, my children’s and grand children’s too. ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

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Abay should be a pathway to prosperity for Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt Do we seek war with Egypt? Do we want war with Egypt? The answer is NO. Conflicts among Ethiopia and Egypt, or Sudan and Ethiopia, or even Egypt and Sudan, tends to grab the attention of policy makers, academics and the media more than cooperation. It’s unfortunate that cooperation tends to attract less news than violent conflict.

It seems a little odd now. But ten,fifteen years ago, it was a common theme that the next big conflict would be over water. Today we talk about climate change, and surely water concerns is also meshed with climate change, and obviously stresses from climate change and variability increase the uncertainty of clean water supplies. Egypt’s reaction to the construction of the Renaissance Dam should therefore not be a surprise to the world.

Egypt’s claim to most of the flow of Abay is not, however, reasonable.

Ethiopia has also the right to put Abay to beneficial use without harming Egypt and Sudan. I don’t believe that the ultimate outcome of this current tension between Egypt and Ethiopia would lead to war, because both parties understand that under international laws and understanding, upstream countries do not have an 82

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absolute right to control and use all the water that originates in their territories, and downstream states do not have the corresponding right to block upstream development by demanding the unimpeded flow of a river into their territories. That’s why Ethiopia’s stand, which is based on the principle that all riparian states are entitled to an equitable apportionment of an international river, is realistic.

For Egypt and Sudan (to some degree), the Renaissance Dam provokes strong negative emotions because they both fear a significant reduction of available water resources. For Egypt in particular, sharing water is a zero-sum game: Every drop of water secured by Ethiopia appears as a loss to Egypt; and this is where most of the problem lies. How to build trust, and at the same time value to satisfy the water needs of their citizens’ and their national interests, should be the focus of the three countries.

I am confident that should the three countries negotiate in good faith, they will be capable of finding ways and innovative technologies for enhancing sustainable solutions that are acceptable to their constituencies. It’s critical that Ethiopia and Egypt avoid using ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

take-it-or-leave strategies. At this stage both countries accuse each other of just going through the motions for the sake of appearance, or even making moves to spoil the negotiation process. That is something to avoid at all cost Ethiopia should assure Egypt that it will not unilaterally preclude it from using its fair share of Abay, but also show a readiness to cooperate and gain more from joint action. In return, Egypt should stop the use of coercion and manipulation to control Abay under what it calls ‘historical uses’ principle, and instead aggressively pursue a water peacemaking strategy.

In the end it’s critical that the three countries begin institutionalizing cooperation to effectively develop a process of engagement over time, engage in joint infrastructure projects, build trust among their citizens, and encourage civil society organizations to engage in people-topeople or institution-to-institutions connections.

I am confident the Renaissance Dam will represent a new era of greater collaboration and partnership between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.

ABN

IT'S OUR DAM

ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

Kebour Ghenna PACCI / CEO/

Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

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We are the Owners The GERD is a breakthrough of our dream to become a better nation. It is necessary that we understand that it won’t be an easy gain as we have let neighbors use and abuse it for ages. Now the arguments and defenses we hear about are highly politicized and biased. We need to settle our internal differences amicably before embarking on such magnificent and inter-generational affair.

I strongly believe that we need to act with the principle of “Do no Significant harm” to our neighbors. The rest of the actors want to use GERD as a currency to buy their own interest. We should never let that happen. I am also a strong promoter of African solutions for African problems and do not buy the interest of the US and the World Bank to self-nominate themselves as negotiators or mediators.

This is by no circumstance an abstract desire.

A farmer has the primary right to make use of whatever is on his farm. We are requesting to use our own Nile. This is something very tough for other to extract and take it somewhere else like so many of the minerals that are being robbed from Africa. That is what is unique about the GERD. We finance it and own it. We don’t build it with loans from any institution that way it gives access to them to be enriched.

The Renaissance Dam is our past, present and future. It is our history of feeding others while dying starving at home; It is our vow to get an end to our poverty. My beautiful children and my patriotic ancestors are interlinked through GERD. Our fathers have built Aksum and Lalibela in the

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“Do no Significant harm” to our neighbors.

11th and 4th century. Now it is my responsibility and that of my generation to make Nile serves our thirst of being a self-sufficient society, our hunger of removing the label of famine and drought from our names internationally.

I think the discourse about Nile is not something that we should give the opportunity to fail. We need to think beyond politics and economics when we think of GERD. It should be a devotion and vocation for our generation. WE need to counter-respond to Arabic propagandas in Arabic. If we need our neighbors to hear what we want to do, we should then tell them in their languages and take steps forward to invite them to grow together.

We should never let any entity or government buy power, secure tenure or gain friendship using GERD as a currency. We are the owners in historical, legal and geographical facts. This doesn’t require confirmation or endorsement of anyone. Let us work on facts and refrain from reacting to every noise on the corridor. We need to follow focused, coordinated and planned approach of public diplomacy to tackle the confusion about GERD.

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ABN

IT'S OUR DAM

ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

Yetnebersh Nigussie

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IT'S OUR DAM

SOLOMON GIZAW /CAPT./ Founder and Managing Director of AFS

GERD & #TheDamIsMine!

Ethiopia deserves more than the right to get its fair share of the Nile River even as it struggles to get its people out of centuries of abject poverty. Ethiopia has never been party to the 1929 and 1959 Nile Treaties , nor does it have the desire now to harm our brothers and sisters in Sudan or Egypt. Expecting Ethiopia (with a population of over 100 million) to be bystander in developing and prospering its people using its own God given resources which even others are wrongly claimng as their own is unjust and reprehensible. Egypt must adopt a possible mutual solution for a mutual survival because the GERD is the ultimate eternal survival path for the Ethiopian people and its future generations. This is why #TheDamIsMine!

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IT'S OUR DAM

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Abraham Alaro Berhan Bank President

The current condition of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is just like ringing out the old and ringing in the new. For we Ethiopians the Dam appears to be symbol for transforming from the longstanding poverty to a better living condition.

Millions of Ethiopian students are studying in terrible dim light while millions of mothers are cooking with firewood which cloud jeopardize their health .so the Renaissance Dam will help us get into light .

Unfortunately, we should have built it many years ago, but it didn’t happen.Now a new day has come; we begin to see light at the end of the tunnel. It is an icon for opening a new dispensation, closing the old one .

I finally could say that the Dam has brought multiple options and hopes. It’s a springboard to national transformation in social-economic development. It is inevitable that we complete GERD and see light because it is our Dam. Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

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Tourism on Nile “The Mount Everest of Rivers” ABN; What is the current status of Tourism in Ethiopia?

Sileshi : Ethiopia is a land blessed with a rich and varied heritage from over 80 different cultural traditions and religious festivals to ancient history, archaeological wonders and unspoiled natural endowments. Indeed, it is said that Ethiopia represents all of what is African in one country. In the past, Ethiopia’s tourism arrivals have tripled since 2006 from three hundred thousand to above 800,000 arrivals in 2017. Before Covid-19, Ethiopian tourism sector was projected to continue growing at 9% in the year.

Instead, Covid-19 actually creates a fall and arrivals in 2020 are forecasted to decline compared to 2019.

ABN ; What government interventions are there & your expectations on Covid -19 impact in Tourism?

Sileshi: The pandemic has already limited visitor number & spending in the past months, and hurt businesses.

Currently, the government of Ethiopia has started supporting the tourism

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“The water tower of the Northern and Eastern Africa”

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businesses through banks to offer loans to cope-up the challenge from the pandemic. I believe tourism could play a vital role in creating more jobs and alleviating poverty. The sector is an important engine for the overall economic growth of the nation. While some countries may experience ongoing challenges, I expect a return to the levels previously forecast by 2022. This is based on the assumption that there will be no further serious impacts from Covid-19 in 2021, and our commitment towards working in integration on taping the sector’s full potential, recovers the tourism businesses and wisely take-over opportunities which might occur from the pandemic itself. Yet, public private partnership is an essential issue to grow the sector.

ABN; What experiences of using a dam for tourism purposes do you know?

Sileshi: Water bodies are already the major turism sites and attractions. For instance Carabean countires are one of the well known nations in using their water bodies (coastal area, lakes,

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ETHIOPIA rivers and streams) as major tourism destinations in the world.

The goal of dam building is varied as the time passed the recreational function of a dam is relatively “young”. Nowadays, the use of artificial reservoirs for tourism and recreation is common (cf. Nemeth and David 2007). Such as, majority of the current dam reservoirs in Poland and the states serve as multifunction lakes. Many are used also for tourism purposes and attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

ABN; How do you see GERD in Ethiopian tourism?

Sileshi: Ethiopia shelters 12 river basins and is known as “the water tower of the northern and eastern Africa”. Besides, there are good numbers of lakes, hot springs, rivers, and waterfalls attracting visitors.

According to literatures, it has been realized that marine tourism is attractive for young and adventurist tourists. Looking in to the tourism context of Ethiopia, existing visitors are mainly of senior and educated.

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Sileshi Girma Chief Executive Officer /CEO/

Tourism Ethiopia

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Hence, develop a niche market through targeting in to the young, energetic, adventurous and marine tourism loving tourists and develop the marine tourism destination products is vital so as to have a stable tourist in flow and tourism industry earnings year round.

The fact that dams are providing different recreational and educational opportunity for people they have always been drawing people from different parts of the world.

Most importantly, Ethiopia can exploit the unique potential and opportunities of the dam edges & its surrounding area and introduce new forms of tourism such as marine tourism activities; swimming, diving, boating, wetland bird watching….to attract both domestic and foreign tourists.

The inherent development potential of the dam derives broad based socio-economic benefits for the adjacent communities. The dam’s infrastructure, technology employed and surrounding environs can be an important reason to attract visitors. Yet, the development of tourist facilities and services which aim at fulfilling the needs of the visitors are key. Such as, accommodation facilities range from hotels with high standards to smaller pensions, campsites, recreational center, private accommodation, agri-tourism, souvenir kiosks, food facilities (bars and restaurant) and auxiliary facilities (souvenir shops and kiosks) are required in close proximity to the dam. Thus, it encourages tourism businesses, create jobs and enhance socioeconomic benefits. The project will also rapidly demonstrate pro-poor tourism development, improve the profile of the site and create positive investor sentiment for the destination as tourism place as a whole.

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of the Nile water originates in Ethiopia with the reminder emanating from other countries in the Nile Basin.

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NILE

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ABN; What is your feeling towards the agreement of downstream countries in launching Tourism on GERD? Sileshi: Rivers in general represent many different values to different people. Such as, rivers symbolize connections, since they touch everyone. Therefore, I expect and want to see upper & downstream countries tourists, researchers, historians, hydrologists to be highly interested to see the dam. It is likely to attract both upper & lower countries which have contributories towards river Nile. Hence, there can be recreation activities such as boating, wildlifewatching, water sports and other leisure activities for visitors to experience.

Under Art.43 of the Constitution provided that Peoples of Ethiopia have the right to improved living standards and to sustainable development.

Similarly, The Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation (Proc. no. 299/2002) has stipulated the need to harmonize and integrate environmental, economic, cultural, and social considerations into a decision-making process in a manner that promotes sustainable development. Most importantly, Tourists are not coming to visit a single country or Ethiopia alone and it’s an opportunity for downstream countries too. In general, access to electricity from the hydropower is an essential element to support the development of tourism on the largest river of the world. It ensures the creation of a more competitive North East Africa tourism region (Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt…). This makes it a new competing tourism area as of what we see in South East Asia, South America, Northern Europe regional tourism markets.

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ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020

AAICEC:

to Bring Economic Modernity

L

ike the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam/GERD/, the Addis-Africa International Convention and Exhibition Center /AAICEC/ is the nation’s future source of pride and national identity, it’s also a mega project that Ethiopians and the whole African nations can be proud of.

To be located in the Eastern part of Addis Ababa, close to CMC residential area,the compound of the AAICEC shall have a total area of 110,126 Sq. m which is secured in lease for a period of 90 years.

The quest for establishing /AAICEC/ is nothing but a natural expression of economic modernity and derivation of emerging market economy in the country, and it is the brainchild of the business community and the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association.

Realizing the need to engage public sector and significance of the establishment of this great center, it was initially the Addis Ababa City Administration, the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association, Gift Real Estate P.L.C, Travel Ethiopia, Exhibition Center and Market Development Enterprise, Ethio-South Investment Share Company, and Abyssinia Bank are among the major founding member of AAICEC as it requires large amount of investment.

Waving a vision to promote Addis Ababa as a vibrant African Business Hub, the Addis Africa International Convention and Exhibition Center aims to provide a venue 92

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where members of the business community, executives, policy makers and the general public come together to share business information.

The Convention and Exhibition Center specifically gears towards enhancing the roles of the private sector in the national economy, promoting and strengthening the global competitiveness and integration of Ethiopian economy, promoting exports, facilitating technology transfer and inflow of foreign direct investment, facilitating public private partnership /PPP/ and promote inter-Africans and with the rest of the world.

This first-of-its- kind convention center project has taken into consideration the city’s being the seat of the African Union and various international organizations and global experiences in the sector, For example, we have tried to gain insight into formation of such centers, visiting international convention centers in Hong Kong, Milano, in Italy and Dubai.

“The AAICEC is a national project like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/which seeks the attention of the Federal Government and the public at large” AAICEC houses world-class venues for international conferences, exhibitions, and other related events.

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ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

Ayalew Abey

ABN

General Manager Addis-Africa International Convention and Exhibition Center/AAICEC/ S.C. Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN

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AAICEC

According to the master plan of the project, venues to be made available include: • Exhibition ground with a total indoor and outdoor spaces of 20,600sq. m and 6,700sq. m respectively; • Multipurpose hall with the capacity of hosting 5000 guests at a time; • A conference hall with over 3000 seats; • Two auditoriums with 500 seats each; • Six smallmeeting rooms with a capacity ranging from 50-100 seats; • A four-star hotel; • Amphitheater, • Big malls, and • Other related facilities including restaurants, canteen, lounge and playgrounds.

When it comes to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/ which has been bringing all Ethiopians at home and overseas together, every AAICEC shareholder has bought bonds and donated significant amount of finance to the Renaissance Dam.

We have planned to undertake the project in three construction phases that is estimated to cost over three billion birr, and currently the first phase of the construction process stands at 35%.

“As we are approaching to fill the Dam, we are delighted to see the fruits every Ethiopian sowing. It must be completed and go operational as quickly as possible.”

In line with the decision passed on the 4th ExtraOrdinary Meeting of the Shareholder, those who purchased shares with total value of birr 100 million and above will have the right to share from the founding shareholders’ benefit. Accordingly, Ethio-South Investment Share Company, which fulfills the requirement, has the right to share all privileges allowed to founding shareholders.

It should be noted that our fathers, forefathers and great grandfathers have paid lots of sacrifices in quest for the fair utilization of the Abay River aka Blue Nile. However, a new day has come as Ethiopia, for the first time, launched a mega project over its natural resource, incorporating local financial resource, expertise and labor some nine years ago.

As the project requires huge investment we still look forward to having various companies such as hotels and government development enterprises like the Ethiopian Airlines. Because the wouldbe AAICEC is very essential for the hospitality industry and the air transport sector; these sectors need to invest in this giant project, beating two birds in a stone, building the City’s image and gaining benefit from the investment.

We understand the multifaceted benefit of the Dam and will continue to provide support for the realization of the project. We strongly believe that this is key for Ethiopia’s future development; it’s a key project that undoubtedly brings back the nation’s greatness.

The AAICEC is a national project like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam /GERD/which seeks the attention of the Federal Government and the public at large. The international experience shows 94

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us that such centers are backed by governments.

For example, the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center is mainly owned by Fly Emirates and the governor of the city.

Hence everyone should understand that it can be viewed as the country’s future tourist attraction that is believed to generate significant amount of foreign currency and job opportunity for citizens.

GERD is a matter of survival for me, my children and my grandchildren and generations to come. As we are approaching to fill the Dam we are delighted to see the fruits every Ethiopian sowing. It must be completed and go operational as quickly as possible.

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ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK

ABN

AAICEC is planned to be a multi-purpose business center which will host a range of events including international conferences, conventions, trade fairs and exhibitions. The center will also be a venue for other related events such as exchange of business information, establishment of business contacts, undertaking of business deals, as well as short-term trainings on business developments. In short, AAICEC is more than a trade fair center.

The center is designed in a way that provides multifaceted business facilities ranging from an international convention center to pavilions for showcasing products and services.

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