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Callist Tindimugaya.PhD
GERD:
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An African project Initiated by Ethiopia
By ABN staff writer
The Nile, the longest River in Africa, traverses 10 countries, asserting that it’s a shared natural resource, for which also an intergovernmental partnership dubbed Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) has been forged by the countries in the basin, with a view of providing forum for consultation and coordination as well as to ensure cooperation among the riparian countries on and to jointly deal with issues of managing and sustainably developing the water resources for win-win benefits of the citizens of NBI.
The ten countries that comprise NBI include Burundi, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, The Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Eritrea participates as an observer.
The Nile Basin Development Forum (NBDF) is a high level regional event convened every three years by NBI and organized in collaboration with Member States and in partnership with development partners. It is an important event that brings together all stakeholders to discuss issues related to the Nile, and ways of fostering cooperation, boosting investment, and ensuring sustainable development within the Basin. The Forum is an essential platform to also share experiences and learn from one another.
Hosted by Ethiopia in hybrid, i.e. virtually and physically, under the theme, “Rethinking
Regional Investments in the Nile Basin – Water | Food | Energy |
Environment | Climate,” the 6th edition of NBDF has brought multi-stakeholders from within and out of the Nile Basin including Ministers in charge of Water Affairs and other government officials in Nile Basin countries, Members of Parliament, water resource managers, environmentalists, economists, development planners, academia and researchers, to deliberate on opportunities and challenges of Nile cooperation. Other stakeholders are river basins organizations, regional, continental and international organizations, civil society, private sector as well as media practitioners.
“We need to transform Africa; and GERD is a demonstration that Africa can actually make it.”
While meeting physically for the closing ceremony of the Forum, ABN has approached some of the participants to hear from the horse’s mouth about the main deliberations of the Forum held from the 22nd February to the 7th of May 2021, as well as their views on GERD and related issues.
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Dr. Callist Tindimugaya Ugandan NBI Representative
One of the participants, with robust experience in such topics as transboundary waters management and the Nile issues, Dr. Callist Tindimugaya from Uganda, said that the discussions around GERD should be seen within the framework which is promoting equitable sharing of the Nile resources so that everybody has a fair share.
The Forum is reaffirming the commitment of the countries’ cooperation on the Nile, said Tindimugaya, “This Forum has
basically been discussing a number of things; number one, we have been discussing issues related to ensuring that water is available for everybody so that we can meet the demands; we have also been discussing issues of how to invest more in the basin to take the advantage of the water; and how we need to improve cooperation and governance.”
Dr. Callist Tindimugaya has been working with Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment for about 30 years now. He has also been representing Uganda on the Nile Basin Initiative Technical Advisory Committee; and he has also been involved in transboundary water management for some time, therefore, he is very familiar with the Nile issues, and what is happening regarding trans-boundary cooperation.
Tindimugaya, who had the opportunity to visit the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) while the project was at its earlier stage, says that as it supplies power also to other countries on the continent, GERD is an African project initiated by Ethiopia, and it needs to be supported for its realization.
“The GERD, first of all, it is one of the biggest projects we have; but it is going to supply power beyond Ethiopia; already now, we are looking at connections between Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. So, for us, we are looking at the GERD as not just a project for Ethiopia; but a project for the whole basin; Sudan, Egypt will benefit; all the other countries will benefit.”
“To me, I think, we should support
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it to ensure that it is realized; any issues that may be associated, I think, we can discuss them as we move. I think, the GERD is important; it is necessary in the Basin.”
Reiterating that citizens are still cutting trees for power, which in turn leads to deforestation on the continent, Tindimugaya said, “I think, projects like GERD are very, very important. So, if there are issues, let’s not forget the importance of the project; let’s us look at those issues and we resolve them to facilitate the implementation of the project.”
Also stating that power is one of the catalysts of development, he has indicated that projects like GERD are contributing to the realization of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, and also AU’s Agenda 2063, which aspires to have prosperous Africa.
“I don’t think we should always be going back to the colonial agreement of what was said. I think we are in a new era; we are the countries need to develop; operations are growing; we need power; we need food; we need water for various uses.”
“What is happening now of course with also the GERD is contributing to sustain the agenda 2030, and Africa vision 2063. So, projects like this, in my view, are already demonstrating that the visions we have for the continent can be realized. So, we need to support it.”
Reiterating that the project benefit other African countries, including those in the downstream, he said, “This is
not an Ethiopian project; it becomes an African project. And if we can have many of projects like that, then Africa will be transformed.”
“To me, we need to transform Africa; and GERD is a demonstration that Africa can actually make it. The fact that the GERD is not going to supply power only to Ethiopia, but it is going to supply other countries; it becomes an African project initiated by Ethiopia.”
While the Nile is a shared resource, Egypt through the 1959 agreement, with Sudan have apportioned 100% of the Nile waters for themselves and have left behind the others.
Reiterating that things have changed now, Dr. Callist Tindimugaya underlined on the need to equitably utilize the shared resource to address poverty, to let citizens cease cutting trees for fuel, and also meet the ever growing demand for power to drive development.
“First of all, we need to remember that these are shared resources; but it needs to be used by everybody. There shouldn’t be any country that takes it all, and others don’t take it,”
said Dr. Callist Tindimugaya.
“Within the Nile Basin, we are promoting equitable sharing so that everybody has a fair share; so, the discussion around GERD should be seen within that framework.”
“I don’t think we should always be going back to the colonial agreement of what was said. I think we are in a new era; we are the countries need to develop; operations are growing; we need power; we need food; we need water for various uses; so, to move, my view is, the countries should realize that things have changed; we need to (have) dialogue and negotiating in an
open manner,” he said.
Stating that NBI countries are connected by waters and that they need each other, Tindimugaya, emphasizes on the need for the countries to work together, and for such case as that of the GERD, the parties need to address issues through dialogue and negotiations.
He has also noted that Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan need to sit and negotiate to address their issues regarding the project.
Civil Societies:
Part of Win-Win Situation
By ABN staff writer
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Sudanese scholar Mauwia Hamid Shaddad was one of the participants at the 6th NBDF which was hosted, from February 22 to May 7, 2021, by Ethiopia under the theme, “Rethinking Regional Investments in the Nile Basin – Water | Food | Energy | Environment | Climate.” Civil societies within the Nile are among the active participants in the Forum. ABN meets Shaddad who has been following an integral part of issues of the Nile since the start of the NBI, to learn his view on the role of civil societies in fair utilization of water resource;he is also one of the founders of the Nile Basin discourse, that a counterpart of the civil society in the eleven or ten riparian countries. He is currently working at University of Khartoum. He is also part of many civil society organizations, regional or international, or national of Sudan.
As the Nile water is a shared natural resource of the countries which the River traverses, different partnerships and/or platforms have been forged to facilitate forums for consultation and coordination as well as to ensure cooperation among them and to jointly deal with issues of managing and sustainably developing the water resources for win-win benefits of the citizens of the basin. In this regard, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) with its set ups, the Nile Basin Development Forum (NBDF), and the Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) are primarily mentioned.
ABYSSINIA BUSINESS NETWORK ABN IT'S OUR DAM Mauwia Hamid Shaddad
University of Khartoum.
The 10 riparian countries namely, Burundi, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, The Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda participate in the events organized in the framework of these platforms.
Convened every three years by NBI, the Nile Basin Development Forum (NBDF) brings multi-stakeholders from within and out of the Nile Basin, including among others the civil societies and partners, to dwell upon issues related to the Nile.
Participating in the Forum as a member of the civil society, Prof. Mauwia Hamid Shaddad from University of Khartoum says the NBDF is held to deliberate on issues related to eradicating poverty, sustainable development, food and water security, peace, climate change adverse effects; and other issues to the community of the Nile.
“We as civil society of the Nile, NBD, we have made clear we cannot be part of a conflict; we are part of solution; solution that is win-win solution to all. That is our stand on that issue.”
Approached by ABN during the Forum, Shaddad said he has been following an integral part of issues of the Nile, even the start of the NBI, he says that he is also one of the founders of the Nile Basin discourse (NBD), the counterpart of the civil society in the riparian countries.
Shaddad, who also works at University of Khartoum, and who takes in civil society organizations at national, regional, and international levels, said the Forum in Ethiopia was a continuing process of efforts, brain storming of trying to find, and achieving the objectives within NBI and in NBD (Nile Basin Discourse). “In the NBD, we promote One Nile, One Family. This is where we can start from.
ABay
85%
of the Nile water originates in Ethiopia with the reminder emanating from other countries in the Nile Basin.
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The 6th Forum, it is a new way of trying to think of how to attract massive (Investment). Yes, we are getting small amount here and there; but we are not attracting massive, abig investment that can cause sustainable development and address the main difficult issues we have in this region; in terms of health, in terms of sharing the benefits of many issues that need to be addressed,” he noted.
While the Nile is with huge resources, the scholar contends that nothing is done compared to the potential and things that could have been carried out through enhanced ties and cooperation among the countries in the basin. He emphasizes on the need to have the political will at the higher level, and also commitment at grass roots level to develop the shared resource in a manner that ensures the benefit of all.
“We need to continue build the trust and cooperation by Nile Basin countries. Many years ago,we used to say this is the longest river in the world, but nothing is flowing, no culture, trade, no …. Nothing is flowing. Every time, you see, some countries are getting into conflicts,” he said,
“We as civil society of the Nile, NBD, we have made clear we cannot be part of a conflict; we are part of solution; solution that is win-win solution to all. That is our stand on that issue.” “We are civil society, we cannot be part of a conflict; we are part of solution – win-win solution; solution that all people are happy; solutions that make utilization of the Nile water benefiting all, benefiting
the development of all,” he added.
With its natural and legal right to develop the resource on the basis of equitable utilization, Ethiopia is building the GERD without affecting the other parties, and it has also, time and again, been expressing its commitment to addressing issues related to the project through dialogue and negotiation.
Developing the shared resource, without causing harms on the other parties, to address poverty and backwardness is the golden principle that Ethiopia has ever carried forward. Like many other experts and professionals, the Sudanese scholar insists on dialogues and negotiations, and also on the need to address poverty, still affirming the position and principle pursued by Ethiopia.
“I say there should be a lot of sit downs; a lot of negotiations, a lot of trust, and a lot of … of sustainable development; and people need to move out of poverty to have energy, whether it is from this hydropower, whether it is from solar energy, we need to move in that direction. But at the same time as I say a winwin situation; everybody is happy; everybody is ready; everybody is accepting; and you have to give and take,” he underlined.
GERD
To light up Africa
By ABN staff writer
The 6th edition of NBDF hosted by Ethiopia from the 22nd of February to the 7th of May, 2021 brought multi-stakeholders from within and out of the Nile Basin including among others ministers in charge of water affairs as well as water resource managers, development planners, academia and researchers, river basins organizations, regional, continental and international organizations, civil society,and theprivate sector.
One of the participants of the Forum held hybrid, virtually and physically, Maro Andy Tola, is acting regional coordinator for the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP) Coordination Unit. He is also the programme officer for water resources management and development.
Approached by ABN during the physical meeting for the closing ceremony of the Forum, Tola noted that the main objective of the 6th NBDF is to bring together the scientific community within the Basin to share experience and to learn from one another.
Stating that about 134 scientific papers had been presented, Tola said the next step should It is not only about GERD interconnecting with other African countries to provide electricity, we are talking about the
Inga III, if you know, I am now happy that the
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Maro Andy Tola
Regional Coordinator,NELSAP
be concretizing by coming up with policies or programs to solve some of challenges that have been highlighted in those scientific papers.
“So, looking at the challenges within the Basin; how can we solve these challenges and we also got feedback from people, how can we move forward in terms of developing the basin. We have learnt a lot as a community, as the managers, as policy makers and the users of the basin resources. I am sure we have that knowledge that we have gained within this NBDF.”
“ It is not only about GERD interconnecting with other African countries to provide electricity, we are talking about the Inga III, if you know, I am now happy that the Inga III Dam is in the African Union portfolio; and it has been now spearheaded. This is something that we need to do.”
Speaking of GERD, he noted that the dam benefits the countries downstream by regulating water flows ever fluctuating. Ethiopia has been building the Dam,without negatively affecting or causing any harm to the countries in the downstream, to generate electricity for the projects that have impact on the country’s economic development.
Tola affirms the fact that such project as GERD plays an important role in lighting up Africa, a content with high deficiency of power which is badly needed to address poverty and pursue sustainable development.
The River has been fluctuating a lot, especially in this side of the Eastern Nile, and of course building dams will help in conserving and regulating the flow. So, this one is a good idea. We are saying that we need to have dams upstream of the river as long as these dams do not have any impact of social, economic and environmental downstream.
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Tola also emphasized the need to develop mutual understanding of dams impact saying,“Dams upstream
have advantages because at upstream of the river the pressure is very low. So, this study shows that, even as we develop these dams, we need to be cognizant of the social, economic and environmental impacts in downstream. That’s what I am saying.”
He further noted that he did not see any problem as long as we are mitigating any impacts that are negative downstream, adding that Africa, in terms of electric coverage, has not done very well in that area. “We
need to light up Africa. As the African Development Bank Agenda, the Hi five; and also the African Union Agenda 2063; so, this is something that - as leaders in Africa, we need to see how we can light our continent; providing electricity, people can have access to enough
electricity.” He pointed out.
“So, it is not only about GERD interconnecting with other African countries to provide electricity, we are talking about the Inga III, if you know, I am now happy that the Inga III Dam is in the African Union portfolio; and it has been now spearheaded. This is something that we need to do.”
“If we have enough electricity, it will open up our continent. So, whether we get it from Inga III, or from GERD, the most important thing is that we need to interconnect the entire continent, to access electricity, any part of Africa, from any source within Africa.”
Said Tola.
“Concerning that dam, you will have people who are supporting it; and you will have people who are opposing it. This is how the world is. But, you need to see – the most important thing is to optimize and say - what are the benefits against negative impacts. And those negative impacts, you can mitigate them. So,
this is what I will say.” He concluded.
