Ethiopia: Disagreement Between Consulting Firms Delays Study On GERD

The disagreement between the two consulting firms on GERD to work in accordance with the directive of the Tripartite National Technical Committee has delayed the study, according to Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity.

The companies are given the last chance to inform the 10th_Tripartite National Technical Committee whether they are willing to carry out the study in line with the directive and their responsibilities.

The letter written by Ethiopia to Egypt and Sudan about the date of the next meeting of Tripartite National Technical Committee has not, however, received any response.

Border and Cross-Border Rivers Affairs Advisor to the Minister, Tefera Beyene told ENA that the two consulting firms selected to conduct studies on the possible socio-economic impacts of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the lower riparian countries has not yet began.

The consulting firms were selected to conduct study on the possible impacts and associated impacts that may occur due to the change in the course of Nile._

Tefera said the Tripartite National Technical Committee selected the French BRL as the main firm to carry out 70 per cent of the study and hired the Dutch Deltares as a sub-contractor for the rest of the task as per the request of Egypt in order to create mutual trust among the committee member countries.

Though the consulting firms were supposed to submit their findings within 15 months to the committee, they have not yet submitted the study due to disagreements between themselves, the advisor elaborated.

Even if Ethiopia proposed the entire task to be given to a contractor selected by all the three countries so as to quickly complete the study, it was not accepted due to Egypt's unwillingness to agree on the idea and hence the current delay, Tefera pointed out.

He said GERD, in addition to being designed in a way that ensures the benefits of the lower riparian countries, has opened opportunity for the countries to work closely.

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