Debate: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
Ethiopians view the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a development right long denied by colonial-era rules. Egyptians call it an existential threat.
The Nile is the world’s longest river and perhaps its most contested – for its lifeblood, its identity, and its leverage. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam sits at the heart of this tension.
In Egypt, the Nile sustains more than 100-million people in desert land. In Uganda, being home to its source is a national pride. Rwanda might argue that the Kagera River is the true source of the Nile. In Sudan and South Sudan, it nourishes crops and seasonally floods riverine lands, yet is an immovable feature of people’s lives. Meanwhile, with this dam Ethiopia has made the boldest modern claim to the river.
Ethiopians view this as a development right long denied by colonial-era rules. Egyptians call it an existential threat, saying huge water volumes were “withheld” when the reservoir was filled. Perceptions matter: Egyptian farmers see dry canals as proof the river is being stolen and officials in Cairo have threatened to send 1,000 troops to Somalia, Ethiopia’s neighbour.
The reality is complex. Ethiopia filled the reservoir during years of heavy rainfall and not all the stored water would have flowed to Egypt anyway, given irrigation in Sudan and the Aswan High Dam’s very high evaporation. Water will also re-enter the Blue Nile after powering the Renaissance Dam’s turbines. Still, drier years loom under climate change. Will replenishing the dam in such circumstances validate Egyptian fears? We asked a contributor from each country to weigh in.