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A dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt about the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has reached its most perilous point yet. Ethiopia has been building the hydropower project on the Nile’s principal tributary, the Blue Nile, alarming Egypt, which relies heavily on the river’s downstream waters.
On 26 February, Addis Ababa rejected U.S.-drafted proposals for the filling of the dam’s reservoir and the GERD’s operation, arguing that these would commit it to drain the reservoir to unacceptably low levels if there is prolonged drought. Ethiopia says it will start filling the reservoir this year even if the parties fail to strike a deal. Egypt, which says the reservoir should be filled only after agreement is reached, has vowed to use “all available means” to protect its “water interests”.
To lower tensions, the parties should strike an interim agreement governing the first two years of filling, during which Ethiopia would store only enough water to test the turbines, and use the time this buys to work together and with Sudan, which also has direct interests at stake, to reach a broader deal.
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