The Nile Symposium – Shaping the Future – For Equitable and sustainable use of the Nile

EWAC Statement on Recent GERD/Nile Developments – Press Release Aug 2022

GERD/Nile International Symposium for Equitable and Sustainable Use

Session I – Oct 16 & 17 —— Session II – Oct 23 & 30, 2021

Ethiopian Waters Advisory Council (EWAC) in collaboration with GERD Consortium and GERD Alliance groups is announcing a global Symposium.

Event Highlights

• To present Ethiopian Scholar’s perspective of the hydropolitical and technical imperatives of the Nile/GERD issues.
• To generate a menu of themes, ideas, and programs for future work.
• To present a scientific and professional path for sustainable and equitable development of the GERD/Nile cooperatively.

For Whom?

For Policy Makers

Those who frame the plan pursued by the Government that enacts the laws and provides the guidance.

For Research, Water & Engineering Professionals

Whether you’re entry-level or a seasoned professional, you’ll benefit from the comprehensive schedule of sessions, case studies and presentations.

For The Ethiopian people and civil Society

The Nile Symposium covers every facet of Nile Basin issues in one three-day event.

Session 1 – Day 1 – Sat, Oct 16

Keynote Speaker:-HE. Dr-Ing Seleshi Bekele, Minister – Chief Negotiator and Advisor on Transboundary Rivers and GERD, Office of the Prime Minister, Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s Water Resources as Pillar of Development: Vision and roadmap, (30 minutes)

Ethiopia Cannot Negotiate on its Lifeline: His Excellency——

Kone Feseha, Master of Ceremony & PR

Mr. Tsehay Demeke, Fisk University, Board Member, EWAC

Ms. Mekdelawit Messay, Master of Ceremony II

Prof. Assefa Melesse, Moderator: – Professor & Graduate Program Director, Institute of Environment, Florida International University.

Assefa M. Melesse, PhD., P.E., D.WRE Professor & Graduate Program Director Institute of Environment Department of Earth and Environment, AHC-5-390 Florida International University

Dr. Aklog Birara, Why this Symposium now? EWAC Chairman, former Sr. Advisor at World Bank, Commentator at Center for Inclusive Development (ABRAW)

Professor Yacob Arsano, The challenges and opportunities I witnessed in the Tripartite Negotiations, Professor of Hydro Politics, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Addis Ababa University.

Dr. Belete Berhanu (Associate Professor), The water, food and energy nexus and the GERD, Academic staff in Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Ethiopia, (20 minutes)

Prof. Abdella Kemal, Water as a pillar for sustainable development: why establishing Ethiopian institutions is imperative, Scientific Director, Water Technology Institute , Arba Minch University, Ethiopia (20 minutes).

Prof., Dr.-Ing Esayas Alemayehu (PhD, P.E), GERD: Implications of freshwater crisis and affordable technologies, Professor of Water and Environment, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jima University, Ethiopia (20 minutes)

Dr. Mulat Demeke, The economic and social benefits of rural electrification in Ethiopia, an economic perspective, former Dean, Economics Department, Addis Ababa University, Fellow with FAO, and consultant.

Professor Semu Moges, Hydro Egoism and Misinformation: addressing barriers for equitable and sustainable use of the Nile, Professor and Chairman of EWAC Hydraulics, Waters and Environment Team, (20 minutes)

H.E. Ato Mersie Ejigu, Why Ethiopia must adopt a comprehensive framework in harnessing its rivers for equity and sustainability, Chairman of the EWAC Environment and Sustainability Team.

Session1 – Day 2, Sun, OCT 17

Keynote: Landscape Management to Ensure Sustainable Utilization of the GERD, Dr. Gete Zeleke,
Director, Water and Land Research Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (30 minutes)

Why this symposium now, Dr. Aklog Birara,
EWAC chairman, (10 minutes)

Kone Feseha, Master of Ceremony & PR

Mr. Tsehay Demeke, Fisk University, Board Member, EWAC

Ms. Mekdelawit Messay, Master of Ceremony II

Prof. Berhanu Abegaz, Interaction and Q & A covering session II, Symposium I, Professor of Economics, William and Mary and Chairman, EWAC Socioeconomic Team, an hour.

Prof. Dagnachew Aklog, Research Findings and Action Steps, Director, Blue Nile Water Institute, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

Mr. Shiferaw Abebe, The Need and Inevitability of a Nile Water Sharing Agreement, Water Treaties and Transboundary Rivers Expert and Scholar, Ethiopia (20 minutes)

Professor Shimelis Bonsa, The geopolitics of the GERD: Chairman, The forces shaping the future of Ethiopia and the rest of the Horn of Africa, EWAC History, Education and Curriculum Development Team.

Eng. Behailu Assefa, The GERD and Other Renewable Distributed Energy systems to augment the future growth in power production and sustainability of the Ethiopian Grid, COO, Terra Global Energy Developers. (20 minutes)

Dr. Lulsegged Abebe, GERD Negotiations: two steps forward, three steps back, Dr. Lulsegged Abebe, Research Scientist and Security Expert

Prof. Berhanu Abegaz, Interaction and Q & A covering session II, Symposium I, Professor of Economics, William and Mary and Chairman, EWAC Socioeconomic Team, an hour.

Speakers – Oct 23

Keynote Speaker–H. E. Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the UN,
Changing the narrative and mindsets at the United Nations—How Ethiopia made the
GERD impasse an African matter (30 minutes)

Why this symposium now, Dr. Aklog Birara,
EWAC chairman, (10 minutes)