CAIRO — The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation announced July 19 the completion of the second-phase filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which it is building on the Blue Nile, the main tributary of the Nile River. In a bid to appease the Egyptian and Sudanese concerns, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in a statement July 20, “The second filling of the GERD has been successfully completed during the rainy season with caution. The problem is not in filling the dam, but rather in the lack of an agreement that meets the interests of all parties. “Egypt’s water resources are estimated at 60 billion cubic meters annually, most of which come from the Nile. Ethiopia sought to complete the second filling to operate two turbines from which electricity can be generated, Halima added.

Source: Ethiopian News July 23, 2021 22:47 UTC