Borisova, E. A. DAM “RENAISSANCE” IN ETHIOPIA, GEOPOLITICAL CONTEXT ANDINTERNATIONAL LAW // Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2018. No 5 (174). DOI: 10.15393/uchz.art.2018.162


World history

DAM “RENAISSANCE” IN ETHIOPIA, GEOPOLITICAL CONTEXT ANDINTERNATIONAL LAW

Borisova
E. A. 		The Institute of Oriental Studies
Keywords:
water division
Nile
Egypt
Ethiopia
conflict
hydropower		 Summary: The world experience of water issues settlement has sufficiently accumulated, but it is unlikely that there is a region where the water distribution problem is definitively and irrevocably solved. Agreements breed, and conflicts subside only for a while, until the increasing for various reasons, shortage of water or other resources, which can be filled with water (e. g., electricity), does not find new strength. The sharing of water in the Nile basin is a good illustration of this statement. Ethiopia’s construction of the Renaissance dam, caused by electricity shortages, violated the established rules of the Nile basin countries’ water use and created a conflict situation in Ethiopian-Egyptian relations. The unfolding conflict has complicated the Egyptian-Sudanese relations as well. The development of the situation around the Sudano-Egyptian agreement of 1959 also shows that sooner or later all countries of the basin have to be involved in solving water problems, no matter how weak they seem. Ethiopian dam, bringing the benefit of several regional States increases the tension in the region. The change in the status quo of the Egyptian-Sudanese agreement is already destabilizing international relations and is likely to cause further conflicts and proxy wars. The development of negative scenarios lies in the water law itself, as it is based on conflicting concepts.



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