February 14, 2022 JPEG The disadvantages for Egypt and Sudan are the possibility of reduced river flow, although this is only really a problem during the years of filling the dam. Most recently, there have been suggestions that the African Union should resolve the disagreement. Ethiopia, with a population of more than 115 million people and Projected to be 230 million by 2050. It will take between eight and ten years to fill the new dam. It can help the riparian states outline principles, rights, and obligations for cooperative management of the resources of the Nile. These run from rising rivalry between Egypt and Ethiopia to a festering border war between Ethiopia and neighboring Sudan. [35] Therefore, a negotiated position that favours Ethiopia is likely to be reached once it becomes politically palatable enough inside Egypt. The Tendaho, Tekeze, and the Gibe series are only a few examples from that period. The New Arab (2020b). Misplaced Opposition to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): Update. It merely provides at Article III that Ethiopia undertakes not to construct any work across the Blue Nile, Lake Tsana, or the Sobat which would arrest the flow of their waters into the Nile. In other words, Ethiopia only agreed that it would not completely stop the flow of tributaries into the Nile. The GERD has become a new reality challenging the traditional dynamics in the Nile River Basin. grand ethiopian renaissance dam. Before discussing the benefits, the article will brief the general technical overview of the GERDP. However, the DoP lacks these key traits, and these omissions suggest that it may simply be a non-binding declaration designed to ease political tensions and to illuminate a way forward. Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan reach 'major common understanding' on dam. The three fillings hitherto, with the most recent in August 2022, imposed no discernible harm on downstream states. It also created a counter message to Egypts powerful the Nile is Egypt narrative that is familiar around the world. Construction on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam began in 2011 and it is currently nearing completion. The three countries have agreed that when the flow of Nile water to the dam falls below 35-40 b.c.m. The countrys 2003 development plan introduced many more, and the Ethiopian government launched an ambitious PR campaign to encourage donor nations and international funding agencies to support these projects financially and ideologically as the highway to Ethiopian development and prosperity. Von Lossow, T. & Roll, S. (2015). It can be demand-driven, typically caused by population growth, and supply-driven, typically caused by decreasing amounts of fresh water often resulting from climate change or a result of societal factors such as poverty. Further, it means that this figure should be used to assess the impact of the Dam on the Egyptian economy for the purposes of calculating compensation resulting from loss of flow. The 1902 Treaty did not preclude Ethiopia from undertaking works that might reduce, but not arrest, the flow of waters. It also codified the principles of equitable and reasonable utilisation and no significant harm (essentially importing from the Watercourses Convention). However, an agreement was still far from reach. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Ethiopian opinion is divided over the need for such huge investments in hydroelectric energy when the national network is still very underdeveloped and unable to cope. Location l Formerly called as project x then known as the Millennium Dam then it renamed to Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The GERD and the Revival of the Egyptian-Sudanese Dispute over the Nile Waters. (2017). 74 cubic metres. Consequently, under the principle of pacta tertiis nec nocent nec prosunt, it could demonstrate that those treaties cannot bind it as it was a third party and did not give its consent. Since plans for Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) were first announced in 2011, Cairo has viewed the project as a serious threat to the country's water supply. Construction of the 6,000-megawatt, US $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) began . Given the advancement of the dam construction - the GERD being, as of March 2015, 40% complete, according to Ethiopia - Egypt had good reason to reconsider its position (RANE, 2015). In general, the Ethiopian development philosophy rests on two pillars: mega-dams and mega-agricultural projects. Furthermore, resolving conflicts involving the Nile River is most likely to be more successful through improvements in relations between the riparians and not through external intervention. Despite several tripartite meetings between November 2013 and January 2014, no agreement was reached on the implementation of the IPoE recommendations and controversies were evolving around the constitution of a trilateral committee. Egypt, which lies 1,600 miles downstream of the Dam, believes its operation will reduce the amount of fresh water available to it from the Nile. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a 6,450 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan. On the contrary, GERD has a positive impact in terms of reducing flood and silting and boost water conservation as well as generate energy for the region. On the surface, the 558 ft tall dam Africa's biggest hydropower project belies Ethiopia's financial muscle. Indeed, as Tekuya notes, Ethiopia persistently objected to the 1929 and 1959 treaties and made clear that its failure to exploit the Nile resulted from a lack of capacity rather than a lack of a legal right to do so. Negotiations resumed three weeks after Al-Sisi took office in June 2014, and an agreement was made to resume negotiations - an achievementhailed by both Egypt and Ethiopia as a new chapter in relations between Egypt and Ethiopia based on openness and mutual understanding and cooperation (Omar, 2014). In June 2020, tensions escalated when Ethiopia declared its intent to fill the dam in July without an agreement, which again led to Egypt and Sudan requesting UNSC intervention on the matter (Kandeel, 2020). This is on the basis of the principles of State succession as outlined in the Vienna Convention on the Succession of States (VCSS). Flashcards. Thus, it is only through cooperation that Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, and the other riparians can peacefully resolve conflicts over the Nile and achieve the type of water use that will contribute significantly to regional economic and human development. Typically, treaties contain provisions on the identification and function of the depositary, entry into force, adoption and so on (Article 24(4) Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT)). Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in Africa, has the second largest population in the continent. The Ethiopian government has always availed itself of its power to transfer local populations off land it decides to declare a public resource. Ethiopia should get its fair share of water that originates in Ethiopia. What are the disadvantages of the Aswan Dam? Second came the 2015 Declaration of Principles (DoP) which concerned the Dam specifically (rather than the Nile more broadly). The current global energy crisis may help in this regard in the sense that Egyptians may find the allure of discounted hydroelectric energy stronger than ever before. In my opinion, this should be negotiable, to fill the lake over a longer period, and only when the river is sufficiently full. They generate electricity, store water for crop irrigation and help to prevent floods. Download PDF 1.40 MB. While this means new opportunities to develop extended irrigation-based agriculture for the Sudanese, it represents also a new threat for Egypts current Nile water utilisation (Whittington et al., 2014). What could have been strictly technical negotiations have turned into a political deadlock. The multi-services provided by the hydropower development and its technical advantages could be driving forces for local, regional and national development, and a catalyst for sustainable development. International rights organisations have reported that many cases of displacement were not voluntary and that entire communities were driven from their villages. Nile negotiations break down as Egypt, Sudan accuse Ethiopia of rejecting legally binding agreement. Moreover, after the completion of the GERD, Egypt could run short of water if the operation of the GERD was not carefully coordinated with that of the AHD. The above-mentioned Gilgel Gibe III Dam stood out as the worlds most controversial dam until the GERD. RANE (2015). The piece (i) gives a brief history of the Dam; (ii) outlines the role of the Watercourses Convention; (iii) explains the significance of the Nile Waters Treaties; (iv) sets out the main legal arguments for Egypt and (v) provides the main legal arguments for Ethiopia. Egypt, fearing major disruptions to its access to the Nile's waters, originally intended to prevent even the start of the GERD's construction. Egyptian players abroad: Mostafa Mohamed's Nantes defeated at PSG, Trezeguet.. Italy Serie A results & fixtures (25th matchday), Egypts Prosecution investigates Hoggpool, Six European nations express concern over growing violence in Palestinian territories, Egyptian Premier League fixtures (21st matchday), US official says Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China. Egypt, Ethiopia to form joint committee on Renaissance Dam. Link, P.M. et al. The GDP per capita in Ethiopia is only $475. Under the Ethiopian constitution, the state is the proprietor of the countrys land and natural resources, which gives the government significant control over the allocation and use of land. If it is allowed to reach dangerous levels, water scarcity has the potential to trigger conflicts. In the absence of the application of the Watercourses Convention, various other legal arrangements and political declarations must be considered to gain an understanding of the regulation of the Dam and the Nile River more generally. Despite the intense disagreements, though, Ethiopia continues to move forward with the dam, arguing that the hydroelectric project will significantly improve livelihoods in the region more broadly. The 6,000-megawatt Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, shown here in May 2016, is scheduled to begin producing electricity in 2017. Perhaps even more consequential is the fact that this agreement granted Egypt veto power over future Nile River projects. This was an attempt at a wholesale replacement for the Nile Waters Treaties. Across Ethiopia, poor farmers and rich business executives alike . The toll on the local communities affected by the dams has been enormous. The US has revived diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute sparked by Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project on the Nile. It's very unpredictable and it can be very dangerous," says Pottinger. Egypt had asked the UNSC to push the three countries to adhere to their obligations in accordance with the rules of international law in order to reach a fair and balanced solution to the issue of the GERD. Egypts repeated references to the rules of international law is part of an effort to maintain its so-called natural and historical rights that were established and reaffirmed by the 1929 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty and 1959 Agreement between Egypt and Sudan, respectivelytreaties many of the other involved parties reject as anachronistic and untenable. We do know that Ethiopia is already seeing longer droughts and worse floods. [18] Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam: Ending Africa's Oldest Geopolitical Rivalry? The largest permanent desert lake in the world, Turkana has three national parks that are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. European countries including Italy, Belgium and especially the UK controlled the Nile as part of colonisation and the broader Scramble for Africa. These colonising states used the tactic of concluding treaties (often at gunpoint) to secure their interests and, in this case, essentially prohibit upstream states from using their own waters. l located on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia . The Watercourses Convention aims to regulate the uses, as well as the conservation, of all transboundary waters above and below the surface. It concludes that Ethiopias legal position is far stronger and that a negotiated agreement in its favour is the most likely outcome of the dispute. The Eastern Nile Basin comprises Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Search for jobs related to Disadvantages of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 22m+ jobs. However, for the reasons given above, the Nile Waters Treaties are unlikely to be considered territorial treaties. Egypt has issued a public statement to that effect. An agreement between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is within reach, with the United Nations standing ready to support talks and the African Union-led process to settle remaining differences, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs told the Security Council in a 29 June videoconference meeting*. Ethiopias strategy for dam construction goes far beyond developmental goals. The first filling of the dam in July 2020 went uneventfully. The $4 billion hydroelectric dam . The dispute has prompted numerous international interventions, including by Gulf Arab states, which have issued political statements and led mediation efforts. The dispute over the GERD is part of a long-standing feud between Egypt and Sudanthe downstream stateson the one hand, and Ethiopia and the upstream riparians on the other over access to the Niles waters, which are considered a lifeline for millions of people living in Egypt and Sudan. After announcing the dam's construction, and with a view to the increasing tensions, the Ethiopian government invited both Egypt and Sudan to form an International Panel of Experts (IPoE) to solicit understanding of the benefits, costs and impacts of the GERD. The establishment of the Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, up 145 and a storage capacity of 74 . It could be a treaty or merely a political declaration as the name implies. Sudan, caught between the competing interests of both Egypt and Ethiopia, has been changing its stance on the issue. Zegabi East Africa News (2015). In that light, Egypt should minimize trips to Washington, D.C., New York, and Brussels, and instead use its diplomatic resources to improve its relations with the other riparian states. More alarmingly, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak allegedly even considered bombing the Dam. These parallel developments appear to be elements of a bigger hydro-political strategy wherein the riparian countries aim to increase their water utilisation to put facts on the ground (and underpin legal claims based on those uses) and increase their bargaining position for renegotiations of volumetric water allocations. Hence, it seems that such an argument would receive a warm welcome from the current bench were the matter ever to be adjudicated there. Cameroon's Choupo-Moting scores winner as Bayern reclaim Bundesliga top.. English Premier League results & fixtures (26th matchday), Germany Bundesliga results & fixtures (23rd matchday), Israeli delegation expelled from the African Union summit. Ethiopias interests in developing its water resources are driven by its growing population and high demand for socio-economic development (Gebreluel, 2014). What Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia must overcome to all benefit from the Grand Renaissance Dam. Such an understanding and appreciation of Egypts water vulnerability would help the riparians develop a water management protocol that can significantly enhance equitable and reasonable use while minimizing significant harm to downstream riparians. March 14, 2020, 6:57 AM. Ethiopia also seems to have the political upper hand given that the Dam is effectively a fait accompli and given that Egypts erstwhile downstream ally, Sudan, switched sides in the dispute leaving the Egyptians diplomatically isolated.