By: Sintayehu Tamirat
A visit to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) gave an ideal chance to learn a great deal of facts about the GERD Project as well as discard ungrounded allegations regarding the Dam, a journalist told EBC.
Much as the features of the GERD project are quite impressive, for the Rwandan journalist, Edmund Kagire, the financing model of GERD project is exceptional. "Previously, we used to have such big projects being financed by the IMF, WB, or the Chinese EXIM bank at a high cost of loans."
But the case of GERD is quite different, he said, after learning the reality that every Ethiopian citizenry including children felt the need to contribute to the multi- billion dollar project- GERD. "This (the financing model) does not only show the resilience of the people of Ethiopia, but also the dignity and integrity to sustain themselves without looking to external support."
"The financing model is a very impressive model that has not been heard of in the African continent," he said. "It's almost unbelievable how Ethiopians financed such huge project without looking donors and financiers like WB and IMF," Edmund said.
Such a model is what Africa needs today, he stressed. "Today most African countries find themselves indebted in huge debts for they borrow to finance projects like GERD at a very high cost of repayment. At the end of the day, however, such projects are not beneficial to the people because they become a burden," he explained.
Africa has been receiving an average of USD 35 billion annually for meeting Goal 7 of SDG: Access to affordable and clean energy for all. But many nations in the continent are grappling with external debt. Hence domestic funding models like the one being employed for the GERD hydropower dam can ease debt burdens for energy development.
Though he learnt a lot about GERD previously, the visit to the GERD Project site gave Edmund a big chance to fact check and disprove allegations against the project. "GERD is a project I read a lot about. I've been closely following its progress including the milestones of the construction phase and the negotiations. But now, traveling to GERD is a once in lifetime opportunity. I could see that it reached 98%, with only little work remaining. I was very impressed by the effort Ethiopians put in it. I was also amazed by its size it’s a very good fact finding mission to see the project for myself as well as to see the changes it's going to create not only in Ethiopia, but also the entire region."
The visit to GERD, which was arranged by the Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy, has given Edmund an assignment to be accomplished.
He said he looks forward to tell stories about the achievement with GERD and "what African countries can learn from it."