Ethiopia’s dam: a source of conflict or co-operation?

By Al Jazeera

The government of Ethiopia is spending billions of its own money to build the Grand Renaissance dam.

When it’s finished, the 6,000 megawatts dam will be Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant.

And will help solve a national energy crisis in Ethiopia.

But other countries in the region – particularly Egypt are concerned about the project. And how it will affect their water supply.

The dam is being built on the Blue Nile, 40km from the Sudanese border. Ethiopia is the source of 85 percent of the river’s waters.

But Egypt has long held the majority rights to the Nile – as per a colonial era agreement. And relies almost entirely on the river for its water needs. But Cairo is worried that the dam could affect the water supply downstream.

So, once the dam is built, who wins and who loses?

Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault

Guests:

Getachew Reda – Ethiopian Government Communicaiton Affairs Minister.

Bart Hilhorst – Water Resource Specialist and former Chief Technical Adviser for the FAO Nile Programme.

Gedion Asfaw – Chair of the Ethiopian Tripartite National Committee on the Nile.

Mohamed Khairat – Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the ‘Egyptian Streets’ online newspaper.

Source:: Al Jazeera

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