Diplomats Laud Nation for Developing GERD in Right, Responsible Way

USA, Canada, Japan and Mexico ambassadors, who visited the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) yesterday, have appreciated the government’s strong commitment to constructing the project responsibly and leading the country towards becoming energy powerhouse.
Canada’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Philip Baker told ENA that visiting GERD was amusing since he has been looking forward to seeing it.
“In my opinion Ethiopia has the right to capitalize and reduce poverty and develop its beautiful resources of the Blue Nile”, Baker pointed out.
Explaining the notion of responsible development as a key factor, he underlined that:
“What I see here today looks to me that there has been great attention to developing this project in the right and responsible way that could put regional neighbors at ease”.
US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Michael A. Raynor lauded GERD as “an amusing piece of engineering and construction and national will”.
“Obviously, Ethiopia is the source of the Nile and must benefit from that but to do so in a way that the factors, interests and welfare about all the states that benefit from the Nile is just the right thing to do; and I am very gratified to see that”, Raynor said.
He also expressed his satisfaction to see the attention given to environment, building the nation and its economy as well as regional issues by making sure that the dam is going in a way that partners the neighboring countries.
Noting energy poverty as a fundamental challenge of development, the US Ambassador said:
“A dam like this one will substantially meet the need of the country’s energy as well as export. It is an enormous driver of economic growth.”
Mexico’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU, Victor M. Trevino said Ethiopia has good resource and important leadership in terms of generating electricity and providing better life for its citizens.
“I think it is wise decision of the government of Ethiopia to have this dam that benefits the people of Ethiopia and of course the neighboring countries”, Trevino noted.
Trevino stated that though the main objective is to have the important resource of water to generate electricity, “the possibility of impact tourism in the country will be fantastic; and Mexico, as one of the top ten tourist recipient countries, wants to share its best practices in South-South cooperation”.
Japan’s Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the AU, Shini-Ichi Saida on his part said:
“I know the enthusiasm and aspiration is great not only amongst the government but also the citizens”.
Saida added that the government and people of Ethiopia as well as the Diasporas through their various commitments and participation are involved in the GERD.
Briefing the ambassadors, GERD Project Manager Semegnew Bekele told the diplomats that GERD neither consumes nor diverts water to another basin. It maintains regulated flow of water throughout the year.
It is a practical way of win-win development and contributing to overcoming centuries of mistrust among the Nile Basin countries, he stressed.
According to him, GERD will pioneer a new era of cooperative regional development and improved water management while increasing the collective resiliency of Nile Basin countries to the anticipated climate change impact.
“We are always saying this is not only a national project but it is a regional, continental and global project in terms of benefits. So with this, we have the willingness as people as you have witnessed to change and for change”, Semegnew told the diplomats.
Noting that Ethiopia as a country has a clear vision, he said:“We have already incorporated in our design all the project features or the project activities in view of considering the downstream water requirements”.
Through such cooperation the three countries will make themselves permanent partners for cooperative development and sustainable peace, the Project Manager elaborated.
According to the Project Manager, GERD will enhance the aspiration for sustainable socio-economic development prosperity and peace in the region.
In addition, it can also be used as platform for broader regional collaboration in economic development and environmental protection

source ena