Beyond the EGRD!

Tesfaye Lema

The bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Egypt should never be confined only to the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (EGRD) because the two countries have a lot of possibilities to explore a huge potential for cooperation.  They have a deep-rooted religious, cultural and historical interconnection. That is why both countries have to refrain from executing any project that could inflict any harm upon one another.

However, there were challenges in building a common understanding on the use of equitable water. Ethiopia and Egypt failed to build confidence on one another for a number of decades. Rather, the suspicion between the two countries was rife, which was  aggravated by the wrong path Egypt had been following in connection to the Nile Basin.

The aforementioned problems coupled with lack of political commitments of leadership on both sides exacerbated the misunderstanding among the people.  This led the Ethiopia people to judge Egyptians as if they stand against development in Ethiopia. In the same token, Egyptians to consider Ethiopians as if they have been attempting to block the entire Nile Water and leave Egyptians in draught.

In fact, these erroneous reflections have emanated from lack of proper understanding of the reality on the ground.

The relationship between Egypt and Ethiopia has some sort of ups and downs but it is very solid.

The recent central topic between Ethiopia and Egypt is the EGRD. However, there are various areas that the two countries could cooperate that  have never been exploited.  One among many others is their religious background.    Many scholars argue that the religion of the majority of Egyptians was saved by Ethiopia. Hadn’t it been for the Ethiopian people, Islam may not survive up to these days. On the other hand Christianity, the religion of the majority of Ethiopians, survived due to the people of Egypt. Both countries contributed for Islam and Christianity to exist up to date, which really indicates how these two people have long been religiously interconnected.

However, there is a miss link. The deep rooted connection of the two people is not portrayed well through public media in Egypt and Ethiopia. The media has failures in working hard to ease conflicts and strengthen mutuality.  The media should play their proper role in creating awareness among the two people that water is life to Egypt as the same time electricity is life to Ethiopia.

Political analysts argue that the misunderstanding on the use of the Nile Water between the two countries don’t come to an end. The people heard good news about the relations of the two countries at a time and bad news at another time.  There are still ups and downs in ensuring genuine partnership, confidence and cooperation.

This is because of the advocates of the past wrong trends. Previous Egyptian governments are used to misleading the people that the entire Nile Water belongs to Egypt and Sudan that no other country has the right to use the water.  They propagated that no country has the right to develop any project on the Nile River including Ethiopia which contributes more than 85 per cent of the Nile waters.

In the same token, previous Ethiopian governments were propagating as if Egyptians don’t want to see the prosperity and development of Ethiopia. Moreover, they failed to consider the case diplomatically rather they had been propagating as if Egypt has been attempting to jeopardize efforts to develop any project on the Nile River.

These two extremes have been not only challenging development in the region but also developed abhorrence among the people. Besides, relations between the two countries in other areas remained handicapped in the past.

The steps the two countries have been taking recently could help the two countries to diversify the areas of relations and integrating all sorts of potentials for mutual benefits.

Bilateral relations in health, education, trade and investment, though improving from time to time, need to be strengthened and it is time for both countries to explore all possible areas of cooperation for maximum mutual benefit.

For instance, Ethiopia’s trade and investment relations with other countries exceed the relation it had with Egypt despite the huge opportunity for the two countries to intertwine in trade and investment. Egypt’s import from Ethiopia is minimal compared to its import from other countries.  

Of Egypt’s national import, agricultural produces covers 24 per cent, which mainly incorporate wheat, maize and oil seeds. Besides, Egypt imports 40 per cent of its beef needs to bridge the gap between domestic production and consumption.

On the other hand, Ethiopia has the potential to supply Egypt’s demand in this regard as it has a huge beef resource. It is simple to integrate this market.  Egypt also imported coffee from other countries. It is possible to strongly integrate this market as well. Egypt and Ethiopia could be economically integrated in this regard.  

Egypt produces more than 600,000 barrels of oil and exports more than 150,000 barrels per day. Ethiopia, on the other hand, imports a large amount of oil. This market can also be integrated for mutual benefit.

Egypt has well developed medical expertise and various technologies. Ethiopia could also buy and benefit from these technologies.  The two countries could, therefore, cooperate in health and education. Egyptian Universities are internationally well known Universities. Ethiopian students could get train in Egypt. 

Even in using their water resources, the two countries will develop together if there is political commitment and goodwill. Egyptian officials emphasized that Egypt has no option for water; Nile is not a matter of option for Egypt. Of course, the entire life of Egyptians depends on the Nile Waters.

On the other hand, Ethiopians should get a daily bread. They have to use their natural resource including the Nile River to pull their country out of the quagmire of poverty.  If there are other economic integrations it is possible for Ethiopia to use the Nile Water only for generating hydropower.  

Ethiopia accepts that Egypt has the legitimate interests in the use of the Nile River. It believes that any controversy over a common resource can be settled through dialogue and equitable utilization; restraining from causing a significant harm to one other.

It stated that the country won’t use the Grand Renaissance Dam for irrigation rather it will use only to generate electric power. In this regard, the two countries along with Sudan could work in unison for mutual development. As the Ethiopian mega hydropower project will provide electricity to Sudan and Egypt as well, they can easily expand their industries.

Nowadays, the previous attitudes have been changing step by step. There is a betterment of mutual understanding.   Besides, there is understanding of the impact of strengthening various areas of cooperation apart from the Nile file. Of course, it is now the right time for the two countries to asses various areas of cooperation beyond the Nile file that could help in integrating their economy.

They should also work hard to strengthen the people to people relations via consolidating the public diplomacy. Last but not leas, the media in both countries should play crucial role in realizing this new phase of relation in which the two people observe a hope of ray and relations beyond the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam.