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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Abyssinia Business Nework // ABN
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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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ልዩ እትም 2012 Special Edition of GERD 2020
