Egypt should help Ethiopia finish the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) swiftly so that it would use the colossal dam as a lifeline and a water bank in drought seasons, Ethiopian official has said.
In a interview wirh a Dubai-based television channel – Al Arabiya, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs Redwan Hussien Sunday said Ethiopia provided more opportunities for Egypt and Sudan to benefit from the dam, notwithstanding their failure to appreciate it.
He said Ethiopia is ready to exchange data regularly to meet Sudan’s concerns for the security of their smaller dams.
He, however, accused the Sudanese government of serving the interests of a third party than that of the Sudanese people.
Ethiopia must now use its resources, causing no significant harm to downstream states. The dam is a beacon of regional cooperation and integration than an issue of bickering, he added.
Ethiopia expects to generate 700 megawatts of electricity from the dam this year, boosting the country’s installed power generating capacity by 14 percent.
The country has been in years of intense negotiations over the $4 billion dam with Sudan and Egypt, which lie downstream, and which have expressed concerns over water shortages and safety. They have yet to come to an agreement.
MG/abj/APA