logo
#

Latest news with #Sharaki

Necessary coordination on the GERD - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
Necessary coordination on the GERD - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly

Al-Ahram Weekly

time10-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Al-Ahram Weekly

Necessary coordination on the GERD - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced last week that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been completed and will be officially inaugurated in September. The latest statement builds on a previous one in the Ethiopian parliament in March that also highlighted the fact that the dam is complete, said Abbas Sharaki, professor of geology at Cairo University. The statements are primarily directed at the Ethiopian people, who have long awaited the completion of the dam and its claimed benefits, Sharaki said. The Ethiopian statements use frequently repeated phrases such as the 'GERD is a shared opportunity,' the '[GERD is] not threatening or harming to Egypt,' and Ethiopia is 'willing to engage constructively' on the GERD, Sharaki added. Ahmed had not only stated that the dam poses no threat to Egypt but had also said that the water in Egypt's Aswan High Dam had not decreased by a single litre and extended a provocative invitation to Egypt and Sudan to attend the dam's opening ceremony, Sharaki noted. Egypt has repeatedly and firmly expressed its rejection of Ethiopia's unilateral acts in building and operating the dam without reaching a legally binding agreement on its filling and operation. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and Sudanese Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan stressed their rejection of any unilateral measures taken by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile during their meeting in Cairo last week. Egyptian Minister of Water Resources Hani Sewilam recently highlighted Egypt's firm rejection of Ethiopia's repeated unilateral measures with regard to the GERD. 'Ethiopia has taken these measures without a binding agreement with the downstream countries and despite genuine concerns by Egypt and Sudan,' Sewilam noted. He described the Ethiopian acts as 'a clear violation of international law,' especially regulations related to the fair and equitable use of international waterways and the prevention of causing harm to neighbouring countries. Sewilam's statement came during a meeting between Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and ambassadors who will soon start their terms in Egyptian diplomatic missions abroad. The meeting was held in the headquarters of Egypt's Foreign Ministry in Cairo. Abdelatty described water security as a potential existential threat, stressing that the country would not allow its historical Nile water rights to be compromised. In a recent television interview, Abdelatty noted that Egypt's annual water needs exceed 90 billion cubic metres (bcm), while its Nile share stands at just 55.5 bcm. Per capita water availability is under 500 cubic metres per year, well below the United Nations water poverty threshold of 1,000. 'This poses a major challenge for the state… placing Egypt in a state of severe water scarcity,' he said. The concrete work at the GERD has already been completed, and six of the 13 turbines have been installed. Two were installed in February and August 2022, two in August 2024, and the last two were tested in February this year. According to Sharaki, the original plan of the GERD was to install 16 turbines, but those were later reduced to 13 for no clearly stated reasons. The claim that the GERD does not pose a threat to Egypt and Sudan is also not correct. 'The dam's capacity has increased from 11.1 billion cubic metres in the original US study to 64 billion cubic metres, which presents a genuine threat to an area fraught with geological problems such as earthquakes as well as annual flooding, making it a water bomb that could explode at any moment,' Sharaki said. In addition, withholding 60 billion cubic metres of water over five years without agreement has caused significant harm, costing Egypt more than LE500 billion in measures to ease the dam's harmful impacts on its citizens. The 1929 and 1959 treaties gave Egypt and Sudan their present water quotas of 55.5 and 18 bcm, respectively, of Nile water. It also gave them the right to veto projects on the Nile that would deprive them of their share of water. But Ethiopia said it should not be bound by these treaties, and it started building the dam in 2011. Between 2020 and 2024, Ethiopia unilaterally completed the dam's five-stage filling and began operating the turbines without an agreement on filling or operations with Egypt and Sudan. In December 2023, Cairo announced the end of negotiations on the dam, citing Ethiopia's refusal to seriously engage on proposed legal or technical solutions. Returning to the negotiating table as soon as possible remains Egypt's demand and pragmatic option, Sharaki said. The present and future operation of the GERD requires draining water either through the turbines or flood gates and then refilling it during the rainy season from July to September, explained Sharaki, adding that these steps require continuous coordination to avoid any damage to Egypt and Sudan and to benefit Ethiopia. 'The full storage of water behind the dam without coordination poses a genuine risk to Sudan in the first place and then to Egypt,' he concluded. * A version of this article appears in print in the 10 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

Expert warns of potential devastating flood from Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam turbine stoppage
Expert warns of potential devastating flood from Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam turbine stoppage

Egypt Independent

time04-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Egypt Independent

Expert warns of potential devastating flood from Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam turbine stoppage

Abbas Sharaki, Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University, stated that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) poses a threat to the security of Egypt and Sudan due to its massive reservoir and its location in a geologically challenging area. In statements made on Al Hadath TV, Sharaki added that Ethiopia had stored approximately 60 billion cubic meters of water by the end of last September. He explained that the GERD's reservoir is exceptionally large and is situated in a region with significant geological issues, which, contrary to Ethiopia's claims, presents a danger to the security of both Egypt and Sudan. The Cairo University water resources expert also highlighted the risk posed by the potential shutdown of the GERD's turbines, especially with forecasts of heavy rainfall next August and the reservoir becoming completely full. Sharaki stressed that any damage to the GERD could lead to a devastating flood that would wipe out 30 million Sudanese living along the Blue Nile. Conversely, he noted that no Ethiopian citizens would be harmed, as the dam is located below the Ethiopian plateau in an uninhabited area. On Wednesday, Aregawi Berhe, Director of the Ethiopian Dam Project Coordination Office, announced that the GERD has reached a 98.9 percent completion rate, bringing Ethiopia closer to 'achieving its national dream after 14 years of work.' Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Thursday extended a surprise invitation to Egypt and Sudan to attend the inauguration of the GERD in September. Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam on Thursday, reaffirmed Egypt's categorical rejection of Ethiopia's continued policy of imposing a 'fait accompli' through unilateral actions regarding the Nile River.

Khartoum faces rising flood risk as Grand Ethiopian Dam operations stall
Khartoum faces rising flood risk as Grand Ethiopian Dam operations stall

Libyan Express

time29-06-2025

  • Science
  • Libyan Express

Khartoum faces rising flood risk as Grand Ethiopian Dam operations stall

BY Libyan Express Jun 29, 2025 - 06:36 A view of the GERD reservoir, nearing capacity amid rising regional water tensions Dr. Abbas Sharaki, Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University, has warned of a significant risk of flooding along both banks of the Blue Nile and the Nile near Sudan's capital, Khartoum, by late August. This situation mirrors conditions seen before the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Currently, the GERD reservoir holds approximately 54 billion cubic metres of water, down slightly from 60 billion cubic metres last September. Daily inflows into the reservoir have risen from 20 million to 80 million cubic metres, with expectations to reach 225 million cubic metres per day by July. Dr. Sharaki noted on his Facebook account that the failure to operate the dam's turbines this year is an anomaly. However, if this issue continues in coming years, the full natural flood is expected to pass by the end of July. This disruption in dam operations coincides with an increased likelihood of above-normal rainfall across much of the northern Greater Horn of Africa during the critical June–September rainy season, according to the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre. While the floods pose risks and have caused damage to some communities in Sudan, they remain the primary source of flood irrigation for many farmers along the Blue Nile. These floods help compensate for water shortages experienced in 2023 and 2024, when approximately 43 billion cubic metres of water were stored in the GERD. The difficulties faced by farmers have been compounded by the absence of an irrigation network to offset the lack of river flooding—an issue aggravated by ongoing challenges in Sudan since April 2023. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express. How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@ Please include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line.

Tremors rattle Egypt - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
Tremors rattle Egypt - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly

Al-Ahram Weekly

time29-05-2025

  • Science
  • Al-Ahram Weekly

Tremors rattle Egypt - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly

Egypt recently suffered two successive tremors. Reem Leila tries to find out if the country is becoming an earthquake zone. In the past couple of weeks, Egypt experienced two earthquakes. The first, of a magnitude 6.4 on the Richter scale, took place on 14 May. Eight days later, residents woke up to a 6.2 earthquake. They were felt by wide segments of the population across various governorates — from Greater Cairo and the Delta to the northern coast. Although the epicentres of both quakes were located south of the Greek island of Crete, hundreds of kilometres away from Egyptian territory, their strength, exceeding six according to the Richter scale, was enough to concern Egyptians. Citizens reacted strongly. Social media was filled with testimonies and questions about the nature and causes of the earthquakes, and an increased search for information regarding safety. According to the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Egypt is not located within major seismic belts and earthquakes occurring deep in the Mediterranean Sea do not pose a direct threat to the country. According to Sherif Al-Hadi, head of the Earthquake Department at the NRIAG, Egypt is not sitting on any seismic belts and is not threatened by earthquakes. 'The term seismic belt means that we would be constantly alert day and night due to consecutive earthquakes,' Al-Hadi said, explaining that what is currently happening is that Egypt is affected by several seismic belts outside its borders. Among these seismic belts are those passing through the Mediterranean Sea south of the islands of Cyprus and Crete. One of those is a low-activity seismic belt 390 km away from Cairo. The other is more than 700 km away from Cairo and has almost no effect on Upper Egypt. Al-Hadi confirmed that Egypt 'is at a safe distance, and what is happening is only the sensation of tremors, especially on the upper floors, without any damage to infrastructure or any losses of lives or property.' Abbas Sharaki, a Cairo University geology professor, told Al-Ahram Weekly that most of the earthquakes felt in Egypt originate from the Mediterranean Sea, particularly from the regions near Greece and Turkey. Sharaki said that some of the zones prone to feeling earthquakes include the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the area extending from the Dead Sea up to Turkey. Greece is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, he added. However, he added that although thousands of earthquakes are recorded there each year, severe damage or fatalities are rare. He described the region as a very active and systematic seismic zone that has experienced stronger earthquakes in the past, but none have seriously impacted Egypt. Sharaki also noted that the NRIAG is closely monitoring the aftershocks, which so far have been mild. Over the long-term there are expectations of an earthquake occurring in the seismic belt area with a magnitude 6.5. Such events, according to Al-Hadi, happen from time to time but unlike weather, earthquakes cannot be predicted because the nature of the earth is completely different from the nature of the weather. 'What we do is estimate the likelihood of earthquakes based on seismic zones, which may become dormant at times and active at others,' he said. Al-Hadi advised the public, when feeling any tremors, to avoid elevators and use the stairs, and to remain calm, as panic can lead to chaos and stampedes, which in turn cause injuries. * A version of this article appears in print in the 29 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

GERD: Time will tell - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
GERD: Time will tell - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly

Al-Ahram Weekly

time26-03-2025

  • Politics
  • Al-Ahram Weekly

GERD: Time will tell - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly

The Ethiopian prime minister's statement that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will be inaugurated within six months was purely for domestic consumption Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told Ethiopia's parliament last week that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be inaugurated within six months. Abbas Sharaki, a professor of geology at Cairo University, described Ahmed's statement as an attempt to appease the public who have been waiting for the completion of the dam which has been promoted as key to Ethiopia's economic development. To say the dam is complete suggests construction work is finished, and that all 13 turbines are installed and operational, which is not the case, said Sharaki. While concrete work is 99 per cent complete there has been no change in water levels — 60 billion cubic metres (bcm) — since the fifth filling ended in September last year, which contradicts Ahmed's statement that the amount of stored water has reached 74 bcm. As for the turbines, Sharaki explained only six out of 13 are installed and their operation is still in the experimental stage. They work for a few days then stop for months. Over 10 years, Egypt and Sudan exerted every effort to reach a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of GERD. Despite the failure of these efforts, Ahmed — as quoted by the Ethiopian media — said Addis Ababa will continue to work with Cairo for the benefit of the two countries and people. 'If Ethiopia wants dialogue and cooperation rather than disagreements, why did it not sign the draft agreement in Washington in February 2020, why did the negotiations stop in December 2023 and why have there not been any attempts to get negotiations back on track,' asked Sharaki. It is obvious, said a former diplomat who requested anonymity, that Ahmed is trying to distract attention away from his domestic problems. In last week's address to parliament, Ahmed also dismissed the prospect of war with Eritrea over the two countries' longstanding dispute about sea access, saying: 'What the people of Eritrea need is development, not conflict. Our plan is to grow and work together, not fight one another.' While insisting access to a Red Sea port is an 'existential issue' for Ethiopia, Ahmed has failed to achieve it, the diplomat noted. Eritrea was an Ethiopian territory until 1991 when it gained independence after decades of war. With Eritrean independence, Ethiopia lost access to the Red Sea and became landlocked. Raising the issue of a seaport sparks fears of renewed conflict between the two states. In an attempt to gain access to the sea, Ahmed signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland in January last year. Somaliland proclaimed independence from Somalia in 1991, though it is not recognised by any country. Under the deal, Somaliland agreed to lease land to Ethiopia to build a naval facility on its coast in return for Ethiopian recognition. The deal angered Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory and regards the deal as an infringement of its sovereignty. Cairo has repeatedly underlined the importance of respecting Somali sovereignty and rejects any involvement of non-coastal states in Red Sea security. Regular meetings are held between the Egyptian, Eritrean and Somali foreign ministers. This week, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh to discuss ways to promote regional stability through tripartite coordination with Somalia. Both Egypt and Eritrea reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Somalia in combating terrorism and preserving its territorial integrity. The two diplomats also underlined their rejection of the involvement of non-coastal states in the protection and governance of the Red Sea. This week's meeting was held within an extended framework of discussions that aim to boost bilateral and trilateral relations with Somalia and promote peace and security in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa. Abdelatty's most recent visit to the Eritrean capital Asmara was last month. Ahmed's parliamentary announcement was made against a backdrop of possible domestic unrest due to internal splits and a reported coup among some factions within the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF fought the federal government from 2020 to 2022 and is currently led by an interim administration formed after the Pretoria Agreement was signed in 2022. Ahmed told parliament that he agreed the current interim administration of Tigray should remain in place despite internal divisions. * A version of this article appears in print in the 27 March, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store