Ethiopia insists it will build the Grand Millennium Dam, but there is no money behind the words
Defiant Ethiopia is proceeding with its plan to build the Grand Millennium Dam on the Nile river, but what kind of dam can they build without cash flow? Following the formation of the Entebbe Treaty, which gives the six upstream nations more control over the Nile’s flow, and amidst the political upheaval that has the Pharaoh nation scrambling to keep the country afloat, Egypt has made some conciliatory moves towards Ethiopia. But just how seriously need they take Ethiopia’s posturing?
According to The Economist, the upstream population exceeds that of the two downstream countries, Sudan and Egypt, by 110 million people. Considered the greater source of flow, the Blue Nile originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia before merging with the faster-flowing White Nile river in Khartoum.
Logically, upstream countries deserve more rights to the Nile waters even though since colonial times, Egypt’s monopoly has been secure.
Perhaps capitalizing on that country’s current political weakness, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi started shifting the status quo on April 2, 2011, as he began construction on the dam that is expected to generate 5.2 gigawatts of electricity, thereby increasing by five times the country’s electricity generation within the next few years.
But there’s one important problem: Ethiopia lacks the necessary funds to see the project to completion. In fact, they can barely get it off the ground.
China has agreed to finance turbines and other equipment to the tune of approximately $1.8 billion but the entire construction project is expected to cost $4.8 billion.
To date, the World Bank and other investors are loathe to get involved given that Ethiopia has not yet developed sound partnerships with other countries in order to share the electricity. And The Economist notes that the bond issue which the country is pushing on its residents “on patriotic grounds” is likely to materialize much money.
Even if the other upstream countries – Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda – are interested in securing more water rights, none of them are in the financial position to lend a monetary hand.
More on the Nile River and Ethiopia’s Dam:
Egypt Holds on Tight to Nile Water Rights
Defiant Ethiopia To Proceed With Massive Dam on the Nile River
American Elections are Bad for the Nile Delta
image via wikicommons
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
Feel free to repost.
Ethiopia: The Dam Dammed by Cash Flow?
http://www.almariam.com/al-mariams-commentaries/archives/03-2015
we Ethiopian will give not only money but blood if necessary. so don’t worry
I am an Ethiopian…and let me tell you something…if shared fairly with a common goal for the well being of the population living in poverty,let alone East African Countries, Nile has the potential to feed all African countries. signing unfair treaties to secure fresh water for future generation doesn’t seem a good legacy…how do we want to be remembered? what legacy do we want to leave behind?…I think we have a better chance of making our legacy immortal by taking initiatives and showing enthusiasm to work together for the benefit of all countries..not just for Ethiopia, Egypt or Sudan. If we start building our future with an act of cruelty,then we have already lost our hope…that is why I say we shouldn’t give any room for disagreement. There is no need for conflict after all we are ONE..we just don’t know it yet.
world will ashamed when we built the dam
Egyptian will fall to our leg and beg as to give them water even for drinking
weregna egypt people we are not afraid of war
dog hula weregnoch
Ethiopian’s will lough despite Egyptian’s and other financial organizations will cry
I just can’t imagine such an article saw the light of day. The author is utterly ignorant of the economics one on one. Ethiopia has the means and the ability to construct the dam. For its economy has been growing at double digit for the last decade. Its gross export revenues have been growing to the tune of three billion US doubling and tripling in just a short 8 years. Moreover, the Ethiopian Diaspora, numbering close to a million and a half conservatively sends over three billion US/year from all corners of the World. Specially Ethiopians numbering in the hundreds of thousands in the United States have amassed massive amount of wealth. hundreds of Ethiopian Restaurants in the US and Europe, which are becoming ever more fashionable are a source of pride and massive remittance for Ethiopia. The author should be reminded of the African Union and its enormous economic benefit to Ethiopia. I wouldn’t be surprised the revenue generated from the African Union alone will finance the Dam. The Western economists and specially those at the Economist have bias towards Ethiopia and can’t tabulate the potential of Ethiopia. The likes of the Author better look in the ‘ mirror’ and face the facts and adjust their outlook accordingly. After all, we have commissioned five dams in the last couple of years and have amassed the expertise how to dam rivers small and large. We got the money, and if need be we will sell the bonds to Friends of Ethiopia( Jamaicans, African Americans, Jews, Muslims and gentils the World over)and get it built. eat your heart chap!Better get ready to pay for the waters of our Nile. You got natural gas, oil and tourist dough so let us swap our precious water for your commodities.
IF ETHIOPIA BUILDS THE SUPER DAMN, WILL IT MAKE THE NILE AND THE ASWAN DAMN DRY? ETHIOPIA HAS EVERY RIGHT TO USE THEIR WATER FOR THEIR OWN SURVIVAL CONSIDERING ALL THE DROUGHT AND ALL THE CLIMATE CHANGES THEY ARE GOING THROUGH, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND HOW CAN EGYPT SURVIVE WITHOUT THE NILE AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THAT GOES WITH IT I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE WORLD COMMUNITY DOES NOT DO ANYTHING TO PRESERVE AND MANAGE OUR FRESH WATERS , CONSIDERING THAT THE SOURCES ARE DEPLETED BY THE HOUR.
u see we are on the way to see the great dam in our country
believe or not u will see the Egyptian prime minster in the inauguration time
You have to understand that determination is more powerful than anything. We are determined to develop our resources. We can build our infrastructures with or without any outside help. This Dam will be built. As a matter of fact, more dams will be built to satisfy our ever growing demand for energy. Anyone who tells us not to develop our resources and remain impoverished amounts to trying to question our sovereignty over our own country. We are not going to appreciate that!
Tafline, YOU CAN SEE WHAT IS HAPPEND AT THE END OF YOUR EXPECTATION.
let me remember you what you forget!!! Ethiopians were ANTs for unity. Don’t stereotyped on our development. just site there what you are to be there. Any one including you can articulate what nightmare you have. but WE CAN DO WHAT WE PLAN.
glory to ethiopia and the people.
@tafline:I was expecting that it was only our journalists who are one sided only, but surprisingly I came across to half sided, even not one sided. Is it as such simple to say boldly ‘they can’t because they are poor’. Listen baby, it is our turn to shine…the turn of poors…If u r as such humanist why don’t u mention the suffer of millions…because of lack of infrastructure, electricity…it’s God’s time, not Meles or Egypt…read Issiah chapter 19….
Actually we /Ethiopians are being nice that we dont stop the water at all from flowing to egypt:) as evil as they have been to us..and irrelevant people like you..Green prophet? really? how about “nonsense prophet?” seriously. Just wait and see the end. i wonder what you would say the the dam is finished. I was at the dam construction site like a month ago and construction is going ahead full scale. you think the ethiopian government is stupid? unless they are sure they will get the money they wouldnt start the dam at all. plus the consortium is an italian company:)You know they will need to get paid and unless they are sure they will get the money they wouldnt sign the contrat to build such a massive dam. anyways im so sick and tired of people like you. Leave us alone…and just go ahead spend sometime visiting the pyramids in egypt and get some indoctrination…so you could sound more absurd and clueless. just because you have a computer and an internet connection, it doesnt mean you are a journalist. you dont really know what you are talking about. perhaps some journalism lesson? i suggest that:)
WB is becoming more and more irrelevant as its development loans and grants are tied to the political views of its sponsers. As a result, developing nations are looking elsewhere. Most of the dev projects in Africa are the gifts and genuine help from China. Africa has a vast resource and market to attract chinese interests. Therefore, Egypt’s influence will die soon. And WB will sttart begging access to African dev projects. Egypt will not offer China the kinds of minerals Congo is providing. Just an example among many. Egypt needs to wake up now and work with Africans before it becomes completely irrelevant. War to control a river? Good Luck!
Thanks Okello. Seems like China doesn’t want to offer all the money for this project. What they have offered will barely get the project off the ground.
@yeZerihunLij :Thank you 🙂
Dear “journalist”,
I am sure you are a part timer. I would like to hear what you would say in four years time.
hey every body you will see this great dam with in this 5 years
so you and your prospect will be ashamed of what you did
i can tell you that all Ethiopians have the same ambition about Abay (you calling it Nile)
God bless Ethiopia
hey every body you will see this great dam with in this 5 years
so you and your prospect will be ashamed of what you did
i can tell you that all Ethiopians have ambition about Abay (you calling it Nile)
God bless Ethiopia
describing the white nile as fast flowing is a mistake . The white nile is a slugish stream,this very fact creates the sud or the swamp in the southern sudan .the river is almost stagnant there.the blue nile or abay is much more faster due to the steepy course he follows from bahr dar to the confluence at khartoum.
hehehheheee may be my brothers and sisters Tafline Laylin is used to the comfort and leisure of the boat rides in the nile (as in the picture above) 🙂 hahahahaa
and in her own way is trying to fight for that LOL
Dear Laylin,
It is amazing to read notes prepared by a ‘contemporary’ writer or journalist like you propagating falsehood and hatred among peoples and nations. What do you mean by “Ethiopia has not yet developed sound partnerships with other countries in order to share the electricity”? The world in sound mind, understands that Ethiopia is repeatedly voicing, it is pursuing equitable sharing and win-win approaches. It has never been the intention of Ethiopia to harm the interests of downstream countries’ peoples. The nation has a noble foreign policy to live in partnership and solidarity with its neighbouring and other countries. If you believe that Ethiopia should share electricity with its neighbouring countries, why don’t you believe that downstream countries should share cost in the construction of the Great Renaissance Dam, instead of screaming about lack of fund?
Why are writers like you opting for warmongering attitude and hatred dissemination rather than promoting peace, solidarity and partnership? I presume you lack such mentality which is worse than the money Ethiopia lacks to build the dam. If you think you have genuine mind, use it to do good while you are alive in this world.
Regarding the completion of the dam, don’t worry about its completion. Only you and your fellow misguided friends, stop knocking at the door of lending institutions and countries to devoid of external financing. We Ethiopians, by leaning on God-the Almighty, will complete the dam, regardless of your effort to obstruct it. Don’t misinform the public. As for Ethiopians, we don’t have time to pursue hatred, war and false information propagation. But we have ample time to promote peace, solidarity, equitable sharing and pursuing win-win strategy.
My God/Allah gives you the gut and courage to believe the reality.
Finally, I am strongly sorry about ‘The Economist’ which I used to respect for its ‘ok’ to allow such notes to appear on such globally esteemed magazine.
Dear brothers and sisters,
We Ethiopians are proud to be an Ethiopian. This dam will be built at any cost.If there is any help we accept. It is a friendship but we work for mutual benefit. Regarding international rivers report, don’t warry, we know that Egyptian engineers are behind it. Even though at the back of IMF,World bank etc are Egyptians. Even we know that they are changing their citizenship in order to fulfil their country’s interest. At this time we know how to protect our selves. We are now at the mentality of the 21st century.
We don’t want to harm Egyptians or Sudanees people. This is not our agenda. Our agenda is for development.
For You Ethiopians See you at the bank.
For the others see you millennium dam after 5 years.
We have a motto in Addis: “We were great and we will be great”.
@ Aviva Weisgal : Seems like you know nothing about Ethiopians, We are the children of GOD. Thank you for your links but better for you to refrain from participating LOL…seems like some of our readers are not really happy about our new and flashy dam 🙂
We get your point, you want Ethiopia and Ethiopians to be forever dependent on foreign govt….
People age and dye, rivers dry …life never will be the same 🙂
I suggest you read positive pdfs ;O
@ ABBAS, at to how Ethiopia going to respond to Egypts “hypothetic” attack, keep in mind that it is EASIER for Ethiopia to hit the Aswan Dam before the Egypt’s hypothetic attack… Any other question??
dear journalist i think you dnot know the history of Ethiopian , hero tic movement over aggressor is known and now as before we can build the damp h erotically by our selves withe out any foreign assistance
God bless Ethiopia
Dear Green Prophet
I pray for you a little long live, i.e. to have time for understanding Ethiopia and its people and adjust your report.
Long live ETHIOPIA!
Mr. Journalist, what ever amount of trivial elements you have tried junking on your article,you finally say it! and I finally like it!!
Your conclusion read as: “And The Economist notes that the bond issue which the country is pushing on its residents “on patriotic grounds” is likely to materialize much money.”
ye ye ye,,,we’ll do it!!! And you will see it!!! Anyways, you the negative peoples… please keep on writing your gloomy wishes because it will keep us strong. But rest assured that you will be engulfed by your shame as the dam materializes. Ethiopians and Egyptians will be hugging each other in a true spirit of brotherhood as the latter will be realizing the “Grand Ethiopian renaissance dam” will benefit them too. God bless Ethiopia, its people, EPRDF, the Horn of Africa region and our all positive partners, and let peace and wealth be with them. The rest is easy and possible.
Hello all brothers and sisters,
It is clear that we Ethiopians really need to build this Dam to help us escape poverty once and for all. We will build like we have never built before!! We will share the cost and the people will build it themselves.
Any country or individual who opposes this is either insane or stupid. The Dam even helps Egypt and Sudan reduce the siltation issue they have on their existing dams. Egypt has build a insanely big dam in a desert land, what a f#$ing issue is it if Ethiopia, the contributor of more than 85% of the water, builds a very much needed dam for the use of its people?
Lack of money will not halt the progress of this dam for I know each and every Ethiopian will contribute whatever is needed either by kind or in cash.
GOD BLESS ETHIOPIA!
Chisu
Is it God that will be building the dams, or the devil?
from the link
http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/EthioReport06Feb08.pdf
…EEPCO also sought expertise from German engineering firm, Lahmeyer, on four hydro projects
identified in the Acres’ study: Gojeb, Beles, Chemoga-Yeda, and Halele-Werabesa. Acres and
Lahmeyer were both debarred by the World Bank for corruption under their respective World Bank
contracts on another African dam project, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. In 2004, Acres was
debarred for three years; in 2006, Lahmeyer was debarred for seven years.
Hi everyone! I just want to tell you that God has started to bless Ethiopia. I remember before 10 and 15 years many men and women of God used to bring prophecies about the blessing of Ethiopia. Now I think God is fulfilling His word and He has started to bless us. Everyone knows that Ethiopia is poor, but remember that when God speaks He see Himself not our’s conditions. And everything is possible with God and it is possible for Ethiopia to build not a dam but many dams because God is enabling it.
Amen! May God continue to bless this country
I understand why this is such a sensitive subject. I lived among the poor people of Kenya for six months last year, and understand what it means to have no electricity. I know that young children are not able to learn if they have to read by the light of a small candle. In no way was I making fun of your poverty. Your outpouring of interest is deeply heartening, and I truly hope you will use it to encourage your government to build a constructive project that will be helpful and not harmful to both you and your neighbors.
And to read more about the impact of the previous projects undertaken by the Ethiopian government you can go to:http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/EthioReport06Feb08.pdf
Unhappy reading, but you can still learn from your mistakes…
http://dreamland.is/
http://www.icelandicfilmcentre.is/Icelandic-Films/Documentaries/2009/nr/1776
For all of you who wish a dam upon you, I suggest you look at this documentary:
http://www.icelandicfilmcentre.is/Icelandic-Films/Documentari/2009/nr/1776 and think about what will happen the day after the water stops flowing in your, and your neighbors’ rivers.
Sometimes the true answers to fighting poverty and advancing your economy are right there in front of you, and foreign interests convince you otherwise.
I love it when someone tell me that I CAN`T do something,
that means I CAN do it.
Opposing the dam is one thing, but saying you CAN`T build
the dam in our own country is way out of line.
This will help you for your numbers deficit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29
keZerihunLij to yeGetachewLij
I did ask the same question and looked around for figures. Of course it will be a challenge but very possible. Here are the figures i plugged in:
1.Governmental civil service workers already commented 1 month salary for first year = 1million workers*1000birr (minimum salary)= 1billion birr (minimum)
2.NGO and Business workers, first year =100birr*100,000(lower side)=100million
3.Give away (by the rich), first year=5billion birr
4.1,2,3, above together 1st year=6.1billion birr; 2nd year=60% of 6.1billion=3.6billionbirr; 3rd year 60% of 3.6 billion birr=2.2billion birr; 4th year=60% of 2.2billion=1.3billion; 5th year=1.3billion=0.8 billion. In total from 1,2,3 in 5 years=14.1 billion Birr
5.Government bond sell over =16billion birr
6.Government revenue=10billion birr a year=50billion birr in 5 years
7.Adding the above together in 5 year we will have a little more than 80billion birr=4.8billion Dollars
8.This does not include any contribution from Diaspora and China or any outside source.
It looks positive.
I have great hope for the people of Ethiopia! Judging by the way you all respond to this story – with such passion – means you are ready to carve out your own destiny.
I don’t think Tafline tried to make fun of anyone’s poverty, but merely pointed out the economic facts. Green Prophet supports the people of Ethiopia.
It is not an impartial report. You have tried to make fun of our poverty. But we will go out of poverty soon. But you have to know that 4.8 billion means nothing for 84 million people. It is about 60 USD per capita. Do you think 60 USD is a big amount of money to be paid within 5 years! I think your analytical ability is a bit puny. I can say you are blind. I mean, your brain.
High-five for your voodoo analysis!
This is an hypothical question …. As we are all aware that the last stage of making a dam operational is holding water … That’s proberly 4-5 years from now … And when maybe 95 % of the dam completed ( I am not an expert ) and 95% of the 5 billion USD already spent … The egpytions then decide to send a few f 16s fighther planes and destroy the dam … How would Ethiopia respond … Just a thought … Well I am nither a Ethiopian or a egpytian for the record .
You know what? this kind of unfair comments on ethiopia’s just efferts could be a very good reason to even further our ambitions to do more and build more even biger dams. I strongly believe in that. Unite ethiopians!! Please!?
I will be damned if Ethiopia doesn’t Dam Nile before 2015. Then Green poopers will eat crow. Ethiopia has the means and the will to do it.
@Karin Kloosterman (Green Prophet)
You can rest assure your international readers that it senviromental impacts will be minimal. In fact, Ethiopia had her eyes on this particular site for aboutr half a century.
Even the article by the Economist, quoted in this article, noted that the geology is suitable.
@Tafline Laylin(Green Prophet)
You should have checked a few facts before simply re-posting what the Economist wrote.
Let’s get the math straight.
The dam will cost 4.7Bill dollar – and that is an official figure, not an inside info as the Economist implied.
Now, at least 33% might be covered by Chinese companies and finance.
Ethiopian’s are expected to purchase Treasury bond worth about 20% of the needed fund. Unofficial figures indicate, atleast a quarter of the bond is already sold in a few weeks!)
The rest 50% will come from government revenue, privatization(sell of gov’t enterprises), etc.
Ethiopia has already built two dams this way…and a third ones is half way through.
So, this is will be another challenge but not insurmountable.
We Corrageouse Ethiopians can do the project happen and finalized!!Donot worry for money,we are money.
I and my friends will never give up for any one who become obstacle for gm dam(money) we started giving our break fast and we continue…please unite for the next generation.
Dear , publisher i feel sorry when i read your paper, we Ethiopian have a right to build a dam as well as to utilize Nile as much as our economy allowed wither the egypian like or not. who allowed to egypt to build Lake naser? ( Aswan Dam NB: it contain 120 billion m3 water) and again who allowed to egypet to construct Mubarak pumping station with more than 400 million dollar?, the answer is nobody. so, we are not required to allowed any one to build millennium dam.even the world bank made a wrong decision i said this b/c the bank allowed to Egypt but reject to Ethiopia it is not fair totally. I hope Egypt do not take any military major to demolish our dam if she tried our reaction is ? even the Egyptian knows the dam contain 60 billion m3 water it immediately turned to 60 billion bullet and smash Egypt so take care .. or a suggest to my government if Egypt take any major please change the direction of abye other direction. bye egypt by Nile(Abaye Yager sisay)
We know how the western media characterize china, India, Brazil for so long and now these countries are at the top of your head, lending you money for survival… look how much articles you guys are writing about china and mostly negative, you don’t even write stuff about west these days. I understand where you coming from mostly from your clueless and ignorant mind. Same old same old, from what you have said, it seems you have no clue how many dam Ethiopia have built in the last couple of years and guess what! mostly from its own fund. of course we love free money when we get it.
The country has built five major dam and the country needs the power to accelerate its own growth and we may not even sell that … but this country will keep on evolving…
Dear Tafline Laylin,
I have read this article in the Economist but i just ignored to comment on the article since it it baseless and trivial. Everyone should understand that we are a peaceful country and receptive for anyone with good intention to the country. however if anyone want to attack us in the diplomacy or in other means we are real warriors. Just ask the Italians the will tell their experience. I think the author should Know the following facts about Ethiopia
1. this is not the first time that Ethiopian built a dam by their own money. we have done the some projects before during the Tekezie and Gilgel gibe III. so We are not know and we never faced a problem in raising our own fund to build a dam
2. any agreement without the consent and participation of the majority Nile basin countries is useless and it will not stop any country from using its own share as far as the country has enough capacity. So now we have the capacity and the interest to do it and no treaty will prohibit us.
3. this project was a dream for every Ethiopian whether he is from north, east, west, or south; every religion and ethnicity. so we have the commitment, the will and the capacity to raise enough fund to the project. every Ethiopian is ready to make history either by contributing resources, idea, labor or moral support.
4. Yes we were poor but now we are working to change this image by utilizing all the resources and opportunities that help the country out of poverty. so we will change our history at any cost.
5. the project cost is to little for more than 80 million Ethiopian. If the project requires more than this we can contribute and we can raise from every Ethiopian household. History tough us that if we are dependent of foreign aid and foreign loan we can not move a half step forward. So we can do it ourselves.
I think this is enough for such useless article
This Dam will be built at any cost and Egyption fear is totally unreasonable. during filling period there might be a decline in the water level after that though is a big benefit. The Dam has the capacity to save at least 600mm depth of water only from evaporation the volume will depend on the area it covers rough calculation shows at least 8 billion cubic meter of water to be saved from evaporation. plus it will make Nile more navigable by allowing controlled release of water imagine a boat trip from Tana lake to Mediterranean. Therefore my advice to all Egyptian is come out of 19th’s mentality to 21st’s mentality where cooperation is a key for prosperity! I hope your engineers will explain this simple fact and all Egyptian will be enlighten and come to know the importance of having a prosper Ethiopia who would be capable of caring the Nile catchment for the benefit of all!
But for the writer of the blog please at least check your facts before you post it. It will take you less than 1 min to simple check the source of blue Nile, please don’t choose ignorance to incite uncooperative mind among brothers of Africa.
My dear Ethiopian brothers and sisters, your comments are hearfilling so I wont have anyting to add. I am a little bit worried if we really will be able to raise the money needed in the given time frame. Does anyone have any info on that?… May God bless Ethiopia.
@ Writer : what was your point?
Hello Dear Ethiopians, Egyptians and the rest
We have launched a historic project that has multidisciplinary benefits(at least economical and political). The financial source for project is the Ethiopian people and their lovers, not WB or IMF loan.
So don’t worry you will see it after 5 golden years. Our lovers please contribute you share for the project and I hope to read the reverse on this site after the project completion.
Lets be part of the Ethiopian Renaissance.
I think the question our international readers will have is what will happen to the environment if such a dam is indeed created. We can look to Turkey and China for some of the reported problems.
I don’t won’t to bother you by saying Nile is the blood of Egypt; rather I would like to say we Ethiopians start building the great dam.
To day we Ethiopians start building the dam and we can do the same programs if it is necessary for our people gain and again.
@ Endelebu, You are reasoning about the dam project as Meles and his officials are scared of revolution. I’m sorry for this thinking bitting your mind. Be logical! Just very bird’s-eye view, Do you think the feasibility study, project bid,… can complete in b/n the days you mention as a starting point? Absolutly NO. In my opinion it is better for you and me and other Ethiopian fellows to think about the goods by logic and by being optimist about our bright future. How many times we are taking revolution? How many ‘gallons’ of blood we need to loose for revolution?
@writer, we’ll talk after 5-6 years.
God Bless Ethiopia
Ednet: thanks. I clarified my point on the source of the Nile. The Blue Nile originates at Lake Tana before meeting up with the While Nile in Khartoum.
Dear all,
it was amazing things you are talking about because no one of you could answered the question to whom the Nile rive belongs to?.
Ha ha ha ha…please.. be careful and you have to think very carefully while answering that question. for me its belongs to the supernatural God “Allah” so therefore please comedown and let Ethiopia build it and let all benefited from the Nile.
lastly, i like to say that things will be clear to you even to all of us as we go forward. see you!
Hello ! Can you hear me? There is something you fail to know about the new assertive Ethiopia. The flashy concrete and glass civilization of the mini-states in your region came from unearned wealth. The topic there is always momey! money!and again money! Ingenuity, commitment, determination, self reliance, ptrotism and engaging diplomacy will create much more wealth (monry). Ethiopia of today relies on these virtues, which are more powerful than the petro-power. Read your history pleas. We defended our sovereignity and independence alone in the past in spite of the enormous odds against us and we will build the GM Dam in the same way.Our greatest natural resource is the people. Their march towards progress can not be stopped. Never doubt this assertion. See you in five years!!
To begin with you do not know any thing about Nile. Nile does not start from the highlands of Addis Ababa. You have been doomed from the start you don’t know any thing.
Like it or not we ETHIOPIAN’S WILL BUILD THE GREAT DAM 1st we have build the Tana Beles Dam on our own and we will also built the “GREAT DAM”
You will see.
Ethiopia is great.
To begin with you do not know any thing about Nile. Nile does not start from the hihlands of Addis Ababa. You have been dommed from the start you don’t know any thing.
Like it or not we ETHIOPIAN’S WILL BUILD THE GREAT DAM 1st we have build the Tana Beles Dam on our own and we will also built the “GREAT DAM”
You will see.
Ethiopia is great.
Meles Zenawi is doing this for political cosumption and Egypt should stop him at any cast. The dam itself if properly constructed with conseltation all stake holders and experts it would benefit everybody. Meles Zenawis built dams that do not hold to standards and he may build this one just to make a point. I would not sit behind one of the largest dams in Africa that is built by Meles Zenawi. It is sucidal.
Netae( the above one who have wright her own comment) you are quite wright.And I SAY NO ONE PREVENT US TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL.
“IT IS NOT Z ENDING BUT THE ENDING OF OUR BEGGING.”
LONG LIVE FOR ETHIOPIA.
nile belongs to ethiopia. no one ,nothing prevents us from building
the grand millennium dam. we can as a nation. you can ask ethiopian from little child up elder. please stop hatemonger
Dear Green prophet, You are probably sitting in a very comfortable sofa within an air conditioned room while you post this article. In Ethiopia, we don’t have that luxury. We are fighting for survival.
I hate to do this to you, I have to say your article has factual inaccuracy which can’t be expected from a much respected paper.
First of all the treaty you referred to, with all due respect, is the treaties signed in 1929, between Great Britain and Egypt and the 1959, treaty of the Sudan and Egypt. Ethiopia and Egypt are neither party to a treaty nor abided by any customary law. If you call this unjust treaty imposed on Ethiopia without Ethiopia’s involvement, I will politely advise you to reconsider your position.
Secondly, even if Egypt continues to follow the colonial era treaties that gave Egypt the veto right over upstream dam projects. Rejecting Egyptian authority over the Nile waters, six of the nine upstream countries have now signed a deal, known as Entebbe treaty, to strip Cairo of its veto power and renegotiate the water sharing among all the Nile riparian countries. So, this is the new treaty with the majority vote, if anyone is a democrat and not stuck with an old colonial mentality, they will support this new framework.
Thirdly, World bank or other financial institutions are ‘not coming up with the money’ because Egypt is the obstacle to the development of Ethiopia, and as I and many Ethiopians like me can see Egypt’s uncooperative stance and cheap tactics of influencing donor countries and international financers against funding the dam. Nevertheless, no matter how poor we are, I can assure you that the dam will be built and built within the time frame.
By the way, thanks for trying to cover this story and wish you good luck with your next article on the same subject, which will hopefully be fair and balanced unlike this one.
Dear Tafline Laylin,
While I agree with most of the points there is something big you missed on this issue. Instead of gathering information from the Ethiopian despot media outlets you should hang around with the pro-democracy Medias to get your missing point. As you said there is a lack of money to build that huge dam on Nile don’t you think Meles Zenawi don’t knows that too? The point is Meles Zenawi scared the North African revolution which is heading to Addis Ababa so that he has to create something big to divert Ethiopians attention. First he try to beat a war drum with Eritrea he didn’t get attention then he came up with another war drum and huge dam.
Hahaha…man…no wonder you have no idea about what you are talking about.You are in the dark and you are leaving you readers in the dark too.
First of all, in order to know what kind we can build refer to the Tekeze,Gilgel Gibe and Tana Beles dam projects just for your enlightenment and avoid your ignorance.
Second,just because Egypt is an Islamic nation and your blog is based in Middle East,it does not justify at all to support whatever is going on between the countries and besides don’t forget Ethiopia is also 50 % Islamic nation.
Third…hahhaa….please…read before writing about anything and don’t quote just one trash reporting by the economist while you can do that by going through the web and find one that justifies Ethiopia’s righteous move.And…yes….NIle does not start from Addis Ababa Highlands…heheh…
Have a good day…and I will come at least once to check if you guys are neutral and reasonable as your name sounds.