Kenya’s Ruto Proposes Mediating Nile Dam Dispute, Seeks to Purchase Ethiopia’s Power

Kenya’s William Ruto has proposed to mediate the Nile Dam dispute between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia following the inauguration of the $5 billion hydropower project named Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

President Ruto, who spoke as the chief guest during the inaugural event in Ethiopia on Tuesday, described the 14-year-long project as “Pan-African achievement,” adding, however, that concerns about the use of the water by the Nile Basin countries, that is, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Eritrea, which participate as an observers, cannot be wished away.

We remain committed to working with Ethiopia, a key regional partner, as it takes this leap towards energy sufficient and economic transformation,” as he urged all parties and observers on ‘continued dialogue rooted in compromise, good faith, and adherence to international norms.’

“Kenya stands ready to bridge gaps and foster lasting consensus,” he added.

Following the launch of the GERD project, Ethiopia’s neighbouring country, Egypt, has warned that the project “threatens” its water security. At the same time, Addis Ababa maintained that it has the right to use its resources for economic growth and poverty alleviation.

For context, the Nile Basin countries, specifically Egypt and Sudan, had made contentions towards the Ethiopian-funded GERD project. Cairo, for example, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, insists that Ethiopia’s attempt at filling the dam’s massive reservoir, a 74 billion cubic metres of water storage, without proper consultation or a legally binding agreement, violates international law, specifically in the interest of Egypt’s water security.

Sudan, on the other hand, echoes Egypt’s opposing stance, as the two downstream countries describe Ethiopia’s “unilateral measures” to control the river’s flow as threats to them, all while calling for a joint management of the river. Ethiopia, nonetheless, implements the completion of the GERD project to meet rising electricity demand.

Kenya, however, has taken an interest in not only buying power generated by the Ethiopia GERD project, but also in playing a mediator’s role in the dispute between other Nile Basin countries, specifically Egypt and Sudan.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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