Ethiopia Seeks Justice Over Historical Nile Utilization Inequities: Former State Minister

Addis ababa: Ethiopia has legitimate grounds to seek redress for historical economic losses, foregone development opportunities, and longstanding inequities in Abay (Nile) River utilization, former State Minister for Irrigation Development, Birhanu Lenjiso said.According to Ethiopian News Agency, Birhanu, co-founder and former Deputy Director of the East African Policy Research Institute (EAPRI), emphasized the need for a new equitable framework to address these issues. As the previous Nile status quo is changing, he called for an approach that considers historical asymmetries, opportunity costs, benefit-sharing mechanisms, and the economic and environmental value of sustaining the Nile ecosystem.Birhanu highlighted the disparity, stating that Egypt has used 85 percent of the Nile's resources without contribution, while Ethiopia, the source of the majority of the Nile's flow through the Abay (Blue Nile), receives little benefit despite its significant contribution. He argued that this historical imbalanc e justifies discussions about redress and potential compensation.The issue, Birhanu stressed, extends beyond financial claims for past losses. It involves future considerations, such as rainfall, forests, watershed management, biodiversity restoration, and the opportunity cost Ethiopia incurs by allowing a major share of its water resources to flow downstream without corresponding developmental benefits. He urged downstream nations to recognize the ecological investments that sustain the river, such as Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative.Birhanu suggested that infrastructure like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) should be evaluated for its strategic benefits, including regional electricity generation and flow regulation, rather than merely reservoir size. He proposed a framework of cross-border investment and development cooperation, where downstream nations could invest in Ethiopia's groundwater development or irrigation efficiency.Hydropower was highlighted as a key integration path since its non-consumptive water use allows flows to continue downstream uninterrupted. Birhanu called for joint scientific, environmental, and economic studies across all Nile Basin states to realize this vision. He emphasized that future Nile cooperation should focus on equitably sharing benefits generated by the entire river system, rather than dividing water volumes.