Breaking the Chains of the Past: Ethiopia's Bold Vision for a Shared Nile
Author: Jafar Bedru Geletu, Executive Director of Ethiopia’s Institute of Foreign Affairs Source: Al Jazeera (Opinion Piece)
The venerable waters of the Nile, lifeline to millions, find themselves at a crossroads. In a potent opinion piece penned for Al Jazeera, Jafar Bedru Geletu, Executive Director of Ethiopia’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, delivers an unequivocal message: the future of the Nile cannot be shackled by the ghosts of a colonial past. His impassioned argument champions a new era of equity, cooperation, and shared prosperity, epitomized by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Unshackling the Nile: A Stand Against Outdated Imperialism
Geletu’s central thesis is a powerful call to dismantle the anachronistic framework of the 1929 and 1959 Nile water-sharing treaties. These agreements, he argues, are not just old; they are fundamentally unjust, born from a colonial mindset that utterly disregarded the sovereign rights of upstream nations.
- A River's True Source Ignored: Ethiopia, the majestic source of 86 percent of the Nile's vital waters, was contemptuously excluded from these "agreements." To invoke them now, under the guise of "historic rights," is to perpetuate a profound historical inequality and undermine the very sovereignty of independent nations.
- The Echoes of an Empire: Geletu draws a compelling parallel: just as Britain possessed no enduring right to dictate the fate of the Suez Canal after its imperial retreat, it similarly holds no moral or legal authority over the destiny of the Nile's waters, which are Africa's shared heritage, not colonial spoils.
- A New Dawn of Sovereignty: Ethiopia's unwavering stance is rooted in its uncolonized history and its inherent right to responsibly utilize its natural resources for the benefit of its people. The era of external dictates on African rivers must, he insists, irrevocably end.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): Illuminating Africa's Future
The GERD, a monumental testament to Ethiopian self-reliance, is presented not as a threat, but as a beacon of equitable development and regional transformation. This colossal project, financed entirely by the Ethiopian people, is a direct response to a pressing humanitarian need:
- Powering a Nation's Dream: With over 40 percent of its population living without electricity, Ethiopia faces a chronic energy deficit that stifles progress. The GERD is designed to single-handedly double the nation's energy output, unleashing a cascade of opportunities for industrialization, regional integration, and profound economic uplift for a population projected to reach 200 million by 2050.
- A River that Flows, A Region that Benefits: Contrary to alarmist rhetoric, Geletu assures that the GERD's very purpose – hydroelectric power generation – necessitates the continuous flow of water downstream. Far from jeopardizing water availability, the dam promises concrete benefits for lower riparian nations:
- Taming the Floods: It will dramatically mitigate devastating seasonal floods that regularly plague downstream communities.
- Regulating for Prosperity: It will provide consistent, regulated water flow, optimizing irrigation and water management for Egypt and Sudan.
- Reducing Waste: Its location in the Ethiopian highlands means significantly less evaporation than downstream reservoirs, potentially increasing overall water availability for the basin.
The Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA): Forging a Shared Destiny
Jafar Bedru Geletu passionately advocates for the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) as the only viable and just path forward. This African-led treaty embodies the principles of mutual respect and social responsibility essential for the Nile's future.
- A Modern African Solution: The CFA, already embraced by Ethiopia and several other upstream nations (Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan), champions equitable and reasonable utilization of the Nile's resources. It's a testament to African agency in solving African challenges.
- Beyond Zero-Sum: A Future of Shared Abundance: The opinion piece concludes with a stark warning: clinging to outdated hierarchies not only breeds conflict but obstructs the collective destiny of a region teeming with potential. The Nile, Geletu asserts, is a shared legacy that demands shared stewardship, ensuring that the developmental aspirations and human needs of all nations are equally honored.
Ethiopia's message is clear: the Nile is not a colonial relic to be controlled, but a vibrant, shared resource, waiting to power a future of unprecedented cooperation and prosperity for all its children. The time for a new, equitable, and dignified chapter in Nile governance is now.
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