Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam: Agreement among Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan

Pambazuka News published on 8 April 2015 a commentary titled "Beyond the Politics of the Nile: Perspectives on the Declaration of Principles Regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam" by Minga Negash, University of Witwatersrand, Seid Hassan, Murray State University, Mammo Muchie, Tshwane University of Technology, and Abu Girma, Oxford.

The authors argue the Agreement reached between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan over the use of Nile waters is lopsided in favor of Egypt and is unlikely to resolve once and for all the fierce competition for water. 

Grand Renaissance Dam: Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan

Foreign Policy published on 27 March 2015 a commentary titled "A Ray of Light for Africa's Dam of Discord" by Keith Johnson.  The author suggests that recent talks among the leaders of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan on the Grand Renaissance Dam may allow Ethiopia and Egypt to pursue a more productive relationship, at least as far as security is concerned. 

Egyptian President to Visit Ethiopia

The New York Times published on 26 January 2015 an oped titled "Sisi Goes to Addis Ababa" by Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is scheduled to visit Addis Ababa this weekend.  This will be the first visit to Ethiopia by an Egyptian president since 1995.  De Waal urges el-Sissi to take advantage of this visit to finally make progress on joint management of the Nile River.  He argues that Egypt should cooperate with Ethiopia to manage the Nile's waters and join the Nile Basin Initiative's Cooperative Framework Agreement.

New York Times Reports on Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam

The New York Times published on 11 October 2014 a good update on Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam titled "Dam Rising in Ethiopia Stirs Hope and Tension" by Jacey Fortin.  The dam is now 32 percent complete. 

Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Nile

The Chicago Journal of International Law published in its Summer 2014 edition an article titled "Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Nile: The Economics of International Water Law" by Daniel Abebe, University of Chicago Law School. 

The article argues that an economics approach focusing on state preferences and incentives for compliance with international law in a world without a central enforcement mechanism will better illuminate the obstacles that Egypt and Ethiopia face and the likelihood of legal resolution of the conflict. 

Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam

The Washington Quarterly, which is now published by George Washington University, Summer 2014 edition contained an article titled "Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam: Ending Africa's Oldest Geopolitical Rivalry?" by Goitom Gebreluel, International Law and Policy Institute in Oslo.  The author argues that Ethiopian and Egyptian rivalry is centered on a dispute over Nile waters and constitutes the longest rivalry in the region. 

Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt: 4th Meeting on the Renaissance Dam

The 4th tripartite meeting of Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt on Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam took place in Khartoum on 25-26 August 2014.  Sudan Vision published a good summary of the first three tripartite meetings and the results of the 4th in an article titled "Analysis of the Fourth Tripartite Meeting on the Renaissance Dam" by Salman Mohamed Ahmed Salman. 

Concerning the most recent meeting, the author said Egypt has accepted the fact that the dam has become an indisputable reality and did not suggest any halting of construction.  Ethiopia accepted the principle of international participation in the studies, which Egypt has called for since the 1st tripartite meeting.  Sudan continued its role as a mediator between Ethiopia and Sudan.  Everything considered, the author thought all parties were conciliatory during the 4th meeting.

Misplaced Opposition to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Pambazuka News published on 7 May 2014 an analysis titled "Misplaced Opposition to the Grand Renaissance Dam" by Minga Negash, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Seid Hassan, Murray State University, and Mammo Muchie, Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria.  Looked at from an Ethiopian perspective, the authors suggest a water war can be avoided if the Nile riparian countries agree on fair water sharing. 

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Moves Forward

The Washington-based Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) published on 1 May 2014 a brief update on Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam titled "Egypt Failing to Stop Ethiopia's Dam on the Nile" by George Ward, IDA research staff member.  He concludes that the dam will likely go forward and Egypt may need to focus on achieving agreement with Ethiopia on guidelines for filling the dam, to avoid creating shortages downstream, and on limiting use of the waters of the Blue Nile for irrigation. 

Ethiopia and Egypt: Nile Water Issues

Foreign Policy published on 6 March 2014 an article titled "Troubled Waters: Egypt and Ethiopia Are at Loggerheads over a Plan to Dam the Nile River" by Keith Johnson.  You may have to register with Foreign Policy to access the article.

Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan and Nile Water

Al Jazeera published on 6 February 2014 an article titled "Egypt and Ethiopia Face Off over Nile Water" by Hassen Hussein, assistant professor at St. Mary's University of Minnesota.  Hassen, a critic of Ethiopia's internal policies, argues that Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan should be more concerned about internal issues than conflict among each other. 

Grand Renaissance Dam Back on Egypt's Agenda

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in South Africa published on 28 November 2013 a commentary titled "Egypt's Transitional Government Prepares for Battle over Ethiopia's Giant Dam on the Nile" by Peter Fabricius, foreign editor of Independent Newspapers.  He believes that Egypt's transitional government is taking a softer approach to the dispute than the Morsi government.

Waters of the Nile--Dispute Simmers but Armed Conflict Unlikely

The Washington-based Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) published on 27 November 2013 a brief analysis titled "Waters of the Nile--Dispute Simmers but Armed Conflict Unlikely" by George F. Ward, an IDA research staff member and former US ambassador to Namibia.  Ward concludes that a way out of this dispute may be through regional water and hydropower sharing cooperation.

Paper on Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam

Global Dialogue published in its Summer/Autumn 2013 edition a paper titled "The Human Security Dimensions of Dam Development: the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam" by Jennifer C. Veilleux, Oregon State University geography PhD student.  The paper is based on research done at the location of the Renaissance Dam and emphasizes issues of human security. 

Nile Waters Update

Nile River. Flickr/David Berkowitz

The March 2013 issue of Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective contains an article titled "Who Owns the Nile? Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia's History-Changing Dam" by Andrew Carlson, professor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

It offers a useful background of the dispute over Nile water allocation and includes an update on the status of the Grand Renaissance Dam being constructed on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia.