Africa

Ethiopia to export electricity to 7 countries

April 21, 2011   ·   218654 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fsomalilandpress.com%2Fethiopia-to-export-electricity-to-7-countries-21865Ethiopia+to+export+electricity+to+7+countries2011-04-21+22%3A50%3A06Hassan+Alihttp%3A%2F%2Fsomalilandpress.com%2F%3Fp%3D21865

ADDIS ABABA — Haile-Mariam Desalegn, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia has said, Thursday, that his country intends to export power to seven neighbouring countries after the completion of the Great Ethiopian Dam.

Briefing newsmen in Addis Ababa, Desalegn, who is also the country’s Foreign Minister, said the construction had since commenced along the Nile River and that the dam would generate more than 5,250 mega watts of electricity.

He listed the countries to benefit from the dam as Egypt, Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and South Sudan after her full pledged independence.

Desalegn said a high-level committee was expected to meet with Ethiopian government officials next month to open negotiations on how to ensure maximum utilization of the dam especially after construction.

“An Egyptian delegation will be in Addis Ababa to meet with us. It is a good step by the new Egyptian regime to open a new chapter of relationship between the two countries.

“We are ready to have a good and smooth relationship with Egypt just like we have with Sudan,’’ he said.

He said while Ethiopia would benefit more from the dam, countries closer to the Nile such as Egypt would also drive many benefits as it would have less environmental impact.

Desalegn said about 1.2 million Ethiopians in the diaspora, especially those in Europe and North America, have expressed willingness to invest in the project.

The dam, which would hold 62 billion cubic litres of water, would cost about 4.7 billion U.S. dollars.

Source: Vanguard | 21 April 2011
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By Hassan Ali

Tags: dam, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nile River, Sudan