25/05/2021
Are you curious about Grand Ethiopian 🇪🇹 Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Blue Nile River?
GERD FACT SHEET
Historical Background:
Prior to the upstream riparian countries agreement in 2010 there were some arguable, outdated colonial treaties that allocate all the Nile water to EGYPT and SUDAN only.
- The 1902 treaty was the agreement between Britain on behalf of Sudan and Ethiopia. This agreement is being misinterpreted by Sudan and Egypt. The agreement prohibited construction of any work along Blue Nile which would arrest /obstruct its flow. GERD doesn’t arrest or obstruct the flow. After generating electricity it will continue to flow. As a matter of fact the Entebbe annuls the colonial era agreements.
-In 1929 the Nile agreement was signed between Egypt and Britain, granting Egypt an absolute right and power to control any project along the Nile.
-The 1959 agreement was between Egypt and Sudan. In addition to the previous agreement, this accord granted Egypt the right to 55.5 Billion cubic meters of Nile water a year and Sudan 18.5 Billion cubic meter water per year. In this agreement Egypt and Sudan gave absolute rights to themselves excluding all upstream countries.
-Six out of ten Nile Basin Initiative stats have signed the Cooperative Framework Agreement which allows upstream countries to conduct projects along the river without prior consent of Egypt.
General information and Benefits to Ethiopia
-Ethiopia provides 85% Nile’s of water but receives Zero. Egypt has received the lion’s share. It is time Ethiopia uses its fair share of water that originates from its own land.
-About 60% of Ethiopians don’t have access to electricity. Egypt has 100% electric access.
-GERD reservoir capacity is 74 BCM of water
- Estimated cost is about $5 Billion. 100% of the cost is covered by Ethiopia.
GERD is a much needed project to Ethiopia. Why?
-It will light up millions of homes
-GERD will be a lifeline for millions out of poverty
-It will generate 6000 MW to Ethiopian current electric generation capacity.
-It is predicted Ethiopia will earn $1 billion from electricity sell to its neighbors.
-Up to 7,000 tons of fish are expected to be harvested annually
- The reservoir is about three times in volume than Lake Tana. It can be a good tourist destination.
- Hundreds of millions of people use biomass energy, mainly wood to cook their daily food. When people have access to electricity, tremendous amounts of trees can be saved and deforestation will decrease enormously.
-Hydroelectric Energy is clean, cheap, reliable and renewable. Once the dam is filled the water level remains constant.
Benefits to Egypt and Sudan:
-Regulated flow. This is convenient to control flood, hydroelectric power and irrigation.
-t will retain silt that keeps downstream reservoirs water retaining capacity safe. That will prolongs the life time of dams in Sudan and Egypt
- When flood is stored in GERD It will reduce evaporation loss by about 10 billion meter cube per year which could have been lost in Aswan dam. Evaporation loss in Aswan dam is four times higher.
- GERD will supply cheaper electricity to neighboring countries including Egypt.
Egypt’s excuses :
A: Filling the dam and drought management
-Egypt fear GERD will decrease its “historical” share.
-Egypt wants a minimum annual flow of 40 BCM guaranteed. That means if Blue Nile river flow is below 40 BMC, they want us to release water from the reservoir. Our stand is a fair share at any time.
- They request us to maintain 165m level of water.
- Egypt wants to open office at the dam site so that it monitors the GERD operation
-Egypt wants to command and lecture when we need to start filling the dam, how much water to fill at a time and how long the filling of the dam can take.
-Ethiopia is filling the GERD only in the rainy season to avoid a significant harm to downstream countries.
B: Safety Concern:
Egypt raised its concerns about the safety of GERD. A team which consists of 5 international experts have examined the dam thoroughly and concluded that GERD is safe by any international measures.
Team members who participated were from Germany (2), Egypt (1), Sudan (1) and Addis Ababa (1).
C. Proximity to the Rift Valley
After the safety excuses was annulled by experts, Egypt raise a concern of earthquake on GERD due to its proximity to Rift Valley.
The distance from Afar rift valley to GERD is approximately 500 Km while most earthquakes have no significant effect beyond 200 km.
Egypt has wide Alternatives:
Depriving of a fair water share to upstream countries can’t be a long run solution for Egypt. Egypt has plenty of alternatives to meet its water demand. If there is a will there's a way!
-Reducing evaporation water loss (GERD will play an important role in this regard)
-Maximize use of its ground water (water wells)
-Maximize use of rain water whenever it is available.
-Sea water desalination (Egypt can utilize Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
-Maximize water use efficiency (best irrigation and sewerage treatments.
-Minimize the 12% evaporation loss using GERD.
Source -Sisay Alemayehu fb page
