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Military attachés from various diplomatic missions based in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, visited Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam (GRD) on Friday.
According to the state-owned media EBC, they received a briefing on the project’s progress from Kifele Horo, the project manager.
The military attachés, as reported by state media, commented that “the water will hit the turbine and return to its natural course,” noting that they observed no impact on Nile riparian countries.
The visit was arranged by Ethiopia’s Defense Force foreign relations and military cooperation division, with approximately 60 military attachés having visited the project in western Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region so far, according to EBC, Which cited Defense Force sources.
Additionally, it was highlighted that the project could play a role in regional and continental economic integration.
Latest information from government sources indicate that 97 percent of the civil engineering part of the project is completed. In a speech at the Ethiopian Parliament at the beginning of the Ethiopian New Year, the Ethiopian President, Sahle-Work Zewde, stated that the project is expected to be completed this year.
Prior to the Ethiopian New Year on September 11, Ethiopia completed the fourth round of filling the reservoir, retaining 42 billion cubic meters of water at that time. Initially, the project was designed to accommodate 74 billion cubic meters of water upon the conclusion of the filling process and overall project completion.
The GERD project, situated on the Nile, the world’s longest river that crosses several countries, has been a source of tension among Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Eighty-five percent of the water originates from the Ethiopian highlands. Egypt has been claiming an exclusive historical right over the Nile waters, citing the colonial-era agreement of 1859, to which Ethiopia was not a signatory.
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Good job by the dam authorities to take military attaches of foreign countries to the GERD site so they can see themselves how it operates without the loss of a single spoonful of water flowing with the river all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. This is genius or what? Those sugar drunk fat cats in Al-Qahirah should be forever thankful for that instead of rumbling thru the halls of the UN and some Arab joints. Now that country has to turn its attention to other rivers and start harnessing them as soon as the job on GERD is finished. The sources of Rivers such as Atbara, Tekeze, Wabi Shabale, Dawa, Ganale and other large rivers along with their tributaries should be utilized 100% inside that country before continuing their ‘Thankless’ and ‘Wasteful’ journeys beyond the borders. Not a single cup of water should leave the nation’s international borders before it is used 100% inside. Have you seen the latest projection of population growth of that nation? In just 7 years from now it may surpass the 140 million mark with some even predicting 150 million and 27 years from now it will reach 250 million. Its people will be in dire need of water. The other grim prediction is rains will be lethally erratic. So, what should they do? Buy bottled water from Evian and others by billions of gallons for their potable and farming needs? That is impossible, impractical. No, they have to use what Allah has given them already. They have to dam those rivers along with all their feeder tributaries and the water problem citizens are facing will be solved once and for all!! I was tracing the paths of these rivers all the way back to their sources the other day, I could not believe what I was seeing. Take the example of the River Atbarah. It originates well inside Amhara Region and I know very well that Wabi Shabale river originates in the front yard of my Itu clan. Both these areas suffer from chronic scarcity of potable and farm water. Meanwhile, billions of gallons of water just pass by to a ‘Thankless’ destination outside the country. You starve yourself to feed others who you see them flipping the bird at you as an appreciation to your legendary generosity? That is not right and fair to yourself. I don’t or the rest of the world wants to hear you crying and moaning about the lack of water. I call upon our qualified hydrologists both inside and outside the country to carry out extensive study on all rivers that are now ‘Wastefully’ and ‘Thanklessly’ leaving that country. I don’t mind ‘Me First’ when it comes to these rivers. Let’s go!!!!