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Egypt to oppose Ethiopia’s Nile hydropower plan
Ethiopian Grand Millennium Dam on Blue Nile River
Egypt has vowed to oppose plans by Ethiopia to build a hydroelectric power plant on the Nile river.
Egypt voiced its objections only days after Ethiopia Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had unveiled plans by the Horn of Africa nation to build a megahydropower plant in Benshangul Gumuz state, 40 km from the Ethiopia-Sudan border.
“We are planning to [undertake] a number of important projects on the Nile,” said Zenawi.
The plant, which would be the biggest investment in the county, would have the capacity to generate 6 000 MW of electricity.
Ethiopia believes implementing the project in the next five to ten years is critical in addressing its severe energy shortages and assisting the country in realising its desire to become a major electricity exporter in the region.
Ethiopia projects that power exports could rake in $407-million annually, much more than what it earns from exports of coffee, the country’s major foreign currency earner.
The planned move by Ethiopia to use the Nile’s waters has been given impetus by a decision by Burundi to sign the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework, which would pave the way for the equitable sharing of the Nile’s waters by the eight countries the river crosses.
The treaty – which has now been signed by Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi – will end Egypt’s historical control over the Nile.
With Burundi appending its signature to the framework, Egypt has ultimately lost it veto power to stop any projects along the Nile.
This means countries upstream can use the river’s water for hydropower generation and irrigation.
Both Egypt and Sudan have opposed the pact, mainly because they enjoy more than 90% of the Nile’s waters and contend that any activities upstream would drastically reduce the river’s flow.
Egypt, with a population of some 85-million people, derives about 90% of its water requirements from the Nile.
Njiraini Muchira, Engineering News
Belayneh
April 8, 2011 at 4:04 am
Those countries,which oppose, the construction of Ethiopian dams can go to hell!! mate!!!!!!!!
tilahun belayneh
April 8, 2011 at 6:25 am
የኢትዮጵያ ልማት በኢትዮጵያዊያን! (ሁሉም እጁን መዘርጋት አለበት)
april 8,2011 ሀወዋሣ
demes belete
April 8, 2011 at 8:22 am
our enemy is poverity
tenkern bamsrat taltachinen dhenat ena egypt entefa
!!!!!!!!!!!
Andualem
April 8, 2011 at 8:39 am
It is not expected to talk like this from educated person? I belive that Egyptian (the people of Egypt) did agree the Ethiopian plan on “equaly sharing the Nile river, but if they don’t i think they, too, are uneducated.
soruma
April 9, 2011 at 7:56 am
it is not clear for me why the egyptailns coundnt undrestand about the project,just profecianaly,
We dont fear of the fucken egyptians,let you rivise our history
yonas
April 9, 2011 at 9:20 am
it is an ambtious project by ethiopia it is time for us to use nile let egypt revise their attitude.
Abdi
April 9, 2011 at 12:51 pm
It is the time for all of us to, unremittingly, stands by this project. We should not rush in to saying that all Egyptian are opposing the launching of the project. It is the strategy of their leaders to divert the attention of people from seeing the internal affair. But it seems that it is time to focus on our project and cooperate with each other to make this project the reality, and to make them understand the truth.
fitsum
April 9, 2011 at 1:20 pm
from the water which flows our compaund we can drink,wash and even prodiuce light. But the historical comitment, the fund is from our pocket.
Cheers ethiopians
Teketel Hailu
April 9, 2011 at 2:32 pm
It is our turn. We can make it real.
Ali
April 9, 2011 at 6:57 pm
dear ethiopian brothers, i swear to allah we hope all good for you.
but please understand, Egypt is nothing without nile water. ofcourse no one deny your full rights to benefit from your resources,
but i’m pretty sure there are hundreds of ways to enjoy that without overcoming the egyptian and sudanese water share which is a tiny fractions compared to annual rainfalls on Habasha hieghts.
genet Kebede
April 10, 2011 at 2:14 am
If Egyptian people are generous they should think development must be beside on Equality .Development should not be at the expense of others.
Ethiel
April 10, 2011 at 3:33 am
Ethiopia has a full right to use the Nile river. I do not see any problem for Egyptians and Sudanes as long as the flow of water do not discontuined.
daneal huluka
April 10, 2011 at 3:36 am
they dont have right oppose by our resorce, dont worry go forwad.
Beniam
April 10, 2011 at 7:37 am
A new era has come for Ethiopia and Ethiopians !! It is claer that the action on Abay is too late due to Combined reasons.What ever is the intantion of the move by the Ethiopian Government, let us do what we can do for the success of the project.
Yared Tesfaye
April 10, 2011 at 8:37 am
This dam is not just a dam, but a bridge that will transform Ethiopia to a new era of economic stability. It is our ultimate right to build. And we are the first and the only to decide on our fate. We don`t have to be scared as never did our grand ancestors . It is better to die in war than to in hunger .On top of that, Egyptians absolutely know that they can`t benefit from war even if they win. BECAUSE THE WATER IS FOREVER FROM ETHIOPIA……I believe that it is time to the water of Nile to wash away the hungry name of Ethiopia from the world dictionary .
Simegnew
April 10, 2011 at 10:04 am
Simegnew
I am from Bahir Dar, Lake Tana, where Blue Nile starts. I have a Right to use the Water for Drinking, Washing, Electricity and Irrigation etc. Because it is mine. It does not mean that Egypt has the Right to use but using for mutual benefit on equitable bases. Therefore, Ethiopia has the Right to use Her Owen Resource. Those Egyptians who oppose the Great Millennium Dam Project are selfish and illiterate. We are un colonized we do not accept the Old Nile River agreement.
ABASE ABDU ISAE STUDENT OF ALKSYIE
April 10, 2011 at 2:14 pm
AWW. This is ABASE ABDU FROM HAROMAYA UNIVERSITY the dam is not ONLY a dam, but life that will res erect Ethiopia to a new era of living . With out any hesitation our natural right to build.Thank u prime minister for u’r initiation.
ABASE ABDU ISAE STUDENT OF ALKSYIE
April 10, 2011 at 2:19 pm
Nile PZ WASH away the PROBLEMS of Ethiopia.
birlew eshetu
April 10, 2011 at 2:49 pm
GOD endowed us water, for the othres oil. like those who have the right to use their oil we have also defnetely the right to use our ample of water_ABAY.
Kedir Sheika
April 10, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Ethiopian Nationalism is extremely emotional, and its not healthy. The state its self is a colonial state where like 90 of the population are dominated and have never seen freedom. Talk about that instead. Egyptians are not coward, and you remember i think the tahrir squer. First talk about your freedom, not about Egypt. Dont talk about water, first talk about your life, your liberty, your freedom. Get freedom, get food and then challenge egypt after you eat food and get freedom. Then you talk about egypt!
dani
April 10, 2011 at 3:28 pm
@Abdi, I think all Egypt is aginst this plan. It is a matter of servival to them. As the article mentioned 90% of there water needs is from nile.
Let me raise one question tho.
Just put yourself in their shoe. What would you do if you were Egyptian? Now we can negociate for free Oil from Egypt and then again that is not realistic is it? I can’t wait to see the final verdict on this and so far not looking good.
fekadu moges mekuria
April 10, 2011 at 6:27 pm
let us do it
tigistu t
April 11, 2011 at 7:26 am
i delighted with
tigistu t
April 11, 2011 at 7:34 am
we, ethiopians, must stand for the impelementation of this dam.
Wael Hasan
April 11, 2011 at 8:56 am
Fellow Ethiopians,
New Egypt is reaching out for you, we respect ethiopian people, but you just can not treat us like this, you just can go ahead and do whatever you want with our most precious natural resources, this chaos in building dams will result in nothing but war, famine, and grieve to the people of our great nations.
I am with a fairer distripution of the Nile water in which ethiopia gets a bigger share of the Nile water, but it has to be in cooperation with the two countries, and it has to be without using this way that defenately lead to war.
If you are thinking that the Arab World (300 million people) out of which gulf cournties are considered to be the second richest economic region in the world, would let you do that, and deprive Egypt (their mother nation, and the nation that defends all Arabs) out of its water and drive its people thirsty, think again.
the way your one man regime is dealing with the situation proves that the head of your regime has no political skills at all, he is selling you this project as a dream, but it will be your worst nightmare,
we are your neighbours throughout history, we lived with you in piece, your people are working everywhere in the Arab world, christians and muslims, and are considered our brothers, you just can do this to us,
Finally, a wise man would find a million ways to not to go to war, we know that you are the wise nation of Africa, so prove it to us, your battle is with your dictator, do not let him play you and lead u to war that benefits no one but him and his corrupt political party, stand up for yoru rights and oust him as we did with Hosni Mubarak.
We love Ethiobia, and are looking for a brighter future with its people, please help us to achive this dream, cause without ur help this can be a nightmare for all of us.
Mohammed Atta
April 11, 2011 at 9:01 am
The declaration of constructing the dam that will harm a powerful nation like Egypt is seen by most Egyptians as an all out Declaration of War on Egypt, and if it is war Zenawy wants, it is definately war he will get.
and to the ignorent who simply comments up there that egyptians can go to hell, well if we should, we will definately make sure that you will go before us.
War is on your door steps, we just hape that this time it would be bettern than your harsh experience with Eritria in which you failed to gain a water front, or your other war which u are losing against a punch of unorganized sumaleese rebels. best of luck with your new war with the entirel Arab world that would send u 100 years back in history and just remember to send us a card telling us how it feels like to be back in time
Mesay bekele
April 11, 2011 at 11:35 am
we ethiopians loves egypt and the people but we hate poverty.so we fight againt poverty not against egypt.but we also fight the one who support poverty.we have a work hand for the dam and blood for our country sovernighty.
Mesay b
April 11, 2011 at 11:37 am
we ethiopians loves egypt and the people but we hate poverty.so we fight againt poverty not against egypt.but we also fight the one who support poverty.we have a work hand for the dam and blood for our country sovernighty.
Melese Sentayehu -At the Source of Nile
April 11, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Hello friends
Hello Mohammed Atta
First of all, We Ethiopians respect and love Egyptian & Sudanese people. We were friends even at a time when we don’t use Nile River, and I believe we will be friends for the future. The people of Ethiopia and Government never think the miss –treatment of their old aged neighbor. Nile is plenty enough if we are implementing it scientifically and economically.
Don’t be self-centered. Think about poor people in East Africa. War is a devil act. We Ethiopians are struggling against poverty. The World should understand and stand beside us. The Basin countries should cooperate each other .
simon
April 11, 2011 at 4:16 pm
there is no rule which says Ethiopia can not use Nile river.Ethiopia is simply using it’s right so nothing new.but here every one have to put in mind that any projects on Nile should be for common benefit.but here hydroelectric power didn’t mean using water instead using potential energy(PE=mgh) due to height or gravity.so it is wasting time and resource for useless thing to Egypt while trying to put obstacle of this project.
mekuanent
April 12, 2011 at 6:19 am
Please our African brothers first try to speak about how you live with your African brothers in harmony with collaboration by strengthenig people to people relations because it is above anything (WATER). Because it is a corner stone for any positive negotiation and it is a wise and fruitful approch to solve any mis understandigs in the 21st century. I belive Egyptian people are not selfish people they understand us as we , upper stream pepole ,have a natural right that GOD/ALAH desrve us to use the Water reasonably .We do not want to live with poverty enough is enough. According to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia “Our wish is that the Egyptian people understand we Ethiopians are not against their interest…we have no agenda against Egypt.” SINCE OUR GREAT ENEMY IS POVER
Ertiban Bayable
April 12, 2011 at 9:58 am
We are Ethiopian !!! Specially Egyptian they know us very well( if they were forgotten the event I want tell them go and read History). For our country`s interest We are One (Even we fight each other) We only fear GOD. So I dream only the day which the dam will complete.I am Sure we are not face any financial difficulties.
dereje ejigu
April 12, 2011 at 3:10 pm
now is the time to z world to know how ethiopian people love zere country,z world will see a dynamic change in every angle
Lemessa
April 13, 2011 at 6:37 am
In my opinion, opposing the construction of the dam is not the the stand of all Egyptians. It is natural, therefore, to stand against some evil minded leaders and journalists and implement the project so long as it does not harm the Egyptian people. The opposition by these evils might not cost us more than our poverty!!!
So, I appreciate and support, in all possible regards, the stand of the Ethiopian government and people!!!!
agiye
April 14, 2011 at 10:54 am
Dear Egyptians don’t try to frustrate US we ETHIOPIANS are z peacefullest people for those who recognize our sovergnity but we are also know to punish our enemy .
henery
April 21, 2011 at 7:35 am
wow, very nice plan to eradicate poverty and the growth of development in the next generation.and theis is the sign of development with common interest. Ethiopia go to be succssus