Ethiopian Dam Controversy

So far detailed news and research reports have come from third parties such as the BBC and those closely associated with making studies on the environmental aspects of the Gibe III Dam project. The most recent on YouTube video is titled "Ethiopian Damns Controversy". I hope it is not meant to pass any derogatory message other than a mere spelling error. Be that it may, the Ethiopian side, including the interviewees from the Salini company presented their views in a somewhat unprofessional manner if they meant to defend their planned project. To refer to a few, the Salini Construction Company spokesperson concluded by saying the river basin dwellers will simply die when the project is done, while the other rather more dignitary representative of the government mentioned about the fact that even insects being in harms way when one walks. The prime minster stated the building  of the Gibe Dam(s) will protect the lower river basin residents from the life threatening impacts of the perennial flood. I don't know how much of a detailed environmental study was made from the Government's side but understandably, based on the history of donors for such projects, the possible end of such a study is usually the killing of the project. Ethiopia has major internal pressures not to abide by that assessment due to not only the fact that this would delay the construction by a matter of years, but also it may cost the ruling party its handle on power.

The controversy is apparent but in my inadequate knowledge to say the least, the Ethiopian government could have handled this matter in a more diplomatic manner. It has secured the displacement of 10s of thousands of the population before starting the Gibe I and II(according to the study report). The government could have made its own assessment about what it takes to prevent the lower river basin residents who make their livings by making use of the spoils of the seasonal  flood. Guaranteeing a way to protect the population, I believe could have paved the way to building the dams without major hurdles. If the planing is based on the feasibility of doing it, this could also be shared with the concerned to produce a common ground. If the government is reading the signs that the study group is geared to stop the over ambitious project due to the hasty attitude of the government in terms of time, there is still room for in depth discussions on how to tackle the issue, unless of course, the study group is politicizing the matter, which I think most probably is the case. Things have changed since the times of Gibe I and II era. The clear cut but controversial stands of the government specially from the stand points of the external viewers has changed the otherwise warm relations between the current government and the west. As such, the regime is inclined to look to the east, specially China. This may have triggered the disagreement over such a grandiose project that is believed to outlive any government in terms of its contribution to the betterment of the poverty stricken population. I give credit to the tireless effort made by the government to make this a reality. I am also impressed with the donor environmental study group by the level of knowledge they demonstrated about the Omo river and its impacts to the population that depends on it. My suggestion to both sides is to understand the urgency that they need to work closely for the ambitious progress to be materialized.


From the Editor's desk.

Ethiopia: Official says climate change causing migrations

Ache warned, at the Seventh African Development Forum, that the situation would become critical in coming years as the impact of global warming worsens.

'We want people to understand that this impact (migration and displacement) was taking place now and that our efforts to mitigate climate change should be for to day and not for tomorrow' he said.

According to him, more and more climate change-related disasters, such as flooding and drought, were striking Africa, throwing increasing numbers of people on the move in search of new livelihoods.

He noted that the migration was causing many problems, including conflicts over scarce resources and security risks.

Ache cited the Mbororo tribe in the Congo basin, which had become nomadic because of climate change-related disasters and migrated widely within the region, even across borders.

'In some countries, they (Mbororo people) are accepted but in others, they are not because of security and conflict issues,' he said.

'Climate change is already undermining the livelihoods and security of many people, exacerbating income differentials and deepening inequalities. Over the last two decades, the number of recorded natural disasters has doubled from some 200 to over 400 per year. Nine out of every ten natural disasters today are climate-related,' he said.

He warned that as temperatures rose further and land became increasingly less pr oductive, urbanization in Africa will also accelerate, generating additional competition for scarce resources and public services in cities.

Other experts at the forum also warned that incidences of vector-borne diseases will increase as a result of climate change, as will the cost of food and energy.

In the end, this will cause increased social and political conflicts, which on the surface will be difficult to trace to climate change, they said.

Addis Ababa - Pana 16/10/2010

Ethiopian leader doubts usefulness of climate conference

By Olu Jacob

Next month’s climate conference in Cacun, Mexico, “will be a total fraud,” the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, said yesterday in Addis Ababa.

Mr Zenawi, who heads the Conference of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change, shocked particpants at the ongoing Seventh African Development Forum when he said the massive deficit in global leadership guarantees that the proposed conference would end badly.

In words devoid of diplomatese, the Ethiopian leader, who is also co-chair of the High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, also suggested that, ‘it is possible the following one in South Africa will also be a failure.’ Guests at the high table which included Jens Stoltenberg, Prime Minister of Norway; Jean Ping, chairperson of the African Union Commission; Festus Mogae, former president of Botswana and Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank, appeared stunned by Mr Zenawi’s words. The thousand- strong audience however clapped in support of the frank assessment.

Mr Zenawi said in the face of such clear failure in global leadership, African leaders must find the means to react adequately to the situation irrespective of what happens in the international community. He said a lack of global leadership shows that structural issues are at stake, including an unwillingness to stand up to vested interests and to challenge myopic views.Publish Post

He said the promise that $100 billion will be made available for Africa by 2020 to fight climate change is only feasible if leaders from developed countries responsible for most of the climate damage are willing to face up to their responsibilities. He also rejected the notion that the money is to be given as aid, saying it is rather a “downpayment on reparation” to a continent suffering from problems it did not cause.

He said African leaders, however, “are not going to wait until these guys are converted to sanity. We will just continue to use the limited resources we have. Leadership in our case means fighting for every cent they owe us, but in the meantime doing all we can on our own.”

Change of strategy

Mr Stoltenberg, who co-chairs the advisory group on climate change financing, agreed with Mr Zenawi that there are reasons for concern that the conference in Cacun will be disappointing.

He said it is impossible to expect that the so-called comprehensive legally binding agreement on climate change, which failed to materialise in the last conference, will be reached in Cacun, or even in the next conference in South Africa. He suggested reduced expectations in the form of short-term goals that are possible, such as progress on staving off deforestration and on some aspect of the financing.

Mr Mogae said even though Africa is the least guilty of climate crimes and suffers disproportionately, it is incumbent on the continent to find projects it can self finance to mitigate the effects, rather than wait indefinitely for succour from abroad. He also blamed African leaders who fail to use the advantage provided by the last climate conference to press home their advantage.

“I hope that, as leaders, in future when we agree on a position that serves our interests, we would be heard to be supporting that position. We need to crystallise our tactics,” he said.

Source

Deepak Chopra "Conquering Your Shadow"

Kenya to Spend $1.2 Billion Doubling Power Grid, Building Wind-Farm Link

Kenya Electricity Transmission Co., the state-owned power-grid operator, plans to spend $1.2 billion by 2014 expanding the network to import energy from neighboring Ethiopia and provide a link to a wind farm in northern Kenya.

The project, which mainly will involve the installation of high-voltage lines, will more than double the size of the national grid, Joel Kiilu, chief executive officer of Ketraco, said in an interview from Nairobi, the capital, yesterday.

“The capital requirements and planning required to build transmission lines as demand increases is massive,” Kiilu said. “We are working to get access to as many people as possible, at the cheapest rates.”

Ketraco was created by Kenya’s government in December 2008 to build and maintain new electricity-transmission lines as East Africa’s biggest economy looks for ways to provide power to areas where it’s in high demand and short supply. The company took over the job from Kenya Power and Lighting Co., the monopoly distributor that still controls 3,400 kilometers (2,113 miles) of power lines built before Ketraco was set up.

Kenya, with a population of 39 million, aims to increase installed power capacity by almost nine-fold to 9,000 megawatts over the next 20 years, while targeting a sustained annual economic growth rate of 10 percent. The government expects to grow by at least 4.5 percent in 2010 from 2.6 percent a year earlier. Nairobi generates more than 60 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

South Africa, the continent’s biggest economy, has the capacity to generate about 40,000 megawatts.

Ethiopian Reporter Survives Jail to Receive Prize

Special to the NNPA from the Global Information Network –

Dawit Kebede, one of the first journalists to be jailed for independent reporting on Ethiopia's 2005 election violence and among the last to be released under a presidential pardon nearly two years later will receive the International Press Freedom Award on Nov. 23 from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Other prizewinners are Nadira Isayeva of Russia, Laureano Márquez of Venezuela, and Mohammad Davari of Iran.

Unlike many of his colleagues who went into exile, Kebede chose to stay in Ethiopia after receiving his freedom from jail in Addis Ababa, where he had been crammed into a communal cell with 350 political prisoners.

In 2008, he was detained for an article titled “freedom of writing should be respected” in the Awramba Times. Today, it is the country's only Amharic-language newspaper that dares question authorities, notes CPJ.

"Here are three things people should know about me," the 30-year-old Kebede says. "First, it is impossible for me to live without the life I have as a journalist. Second, unless it becomes a question of life and death, I will never be leaving Ethiopia. Third, I am not an opposition. As a journalist, whatsoever would be a governing regime in Ethiopia, I will never hesitate from writing issues criticizing it for the betterment of the country.”

Ethiopia frees opposition leader

By Aaron Maasho (AFP) – 4 hours ago

ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia freed opposition leader Birtukan Mideksa on Wednesday, saying it had granted a plea for pardon from her.

The 36-year-old Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) leader was first jailed in 2005 when the opposition protested poll results that year, leading to unrest that resulted in the death of some 200 people

Birtukan and other opposition figures were charged with plotting against the constitution in connection with those skirmishes, but were released in 2007 after being pardoned.

But she was sent back to prison in December 2008 after claiming she had never asked for pardon.

"It was very hard in jail. I found it very difficult to be alone for all that time. I am very pleased that I have been released," she told AFP Wednesday...Full story

Eritrea threatens Ethiopia

The Eritrean representative at UN said If Ethiopia wants peace and stability in the region...watch the clip.





The Ethiopian counterpart responded with the following...