Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): Power Needs vs. Water Security

This event is part of The African Strategic Forum sponsored by The Institute of World Politics.

About the lecture: The tension over GERD has created an impasse for the African Union on how to resolve the conflict between these three countries. Our panelists will analyze the politics in Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia around the timeline for filling the dam. The panelists will also provide insights into the prospects of a peaceful resolution and the economic benefits of this grand project may bring throughout the African continent. What role do the African Union (AU), UN, and other international mediators like the U.S. play in this case?

About the panelist:

Dr. Hani Sewilam is a Professor of Hydrology and Water Resources Management at the RWTH Aachen University in Germany. He is currently the Managing Director of the UNESCO Chair in Hydrological Changes and Water Resources Management at the RWTH Aachen. He is also a professor at the American University in Cairo. Hydrology, water management, desalination and sustainable development are his main areas of specializations. In Germany, his research team focuses on flood risk management and the development of innovative capacity building programme for water professionals. Dealing with water scarcity through desalination, aquaponics, hydroponics, and effective water management is the focus of his other team in Egypt. Another focus of his research is implementing the concept of Water-Energy-Food nexus at local, national and regional levels. Over the last 5 years, Sewilam co-founded an MSc program in “Sustainable Management – Water and Energy” at the RWTH Aachen in Germany and founded another M.Sc. program in “Sustainable Development” at the American University in Cairo. He has contributed significantly to the establishment of the UNESCO Chair in Hydrological Changes and Water Resources Management at the RWTH Aachen. Sewilam is the founder of the first Center for Sustainable Development in Egypt. Sewilam has been raising funds and implementing research and development projects since 2002 with universities and institutions from at least 15 Euro-Mediterranean countries. Sewilam was awarded his PhD with honor from the RWTH Aachen University in the area of water resources management and his MSc from Southampton University in the UK in the area of irrigation management.

Dr. Semu Moges has a B.sc in Hydraulic Engineering, M.sc, and Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering and over 20 years of extensive experience in teaching, research, and consultancy in the area of hydrological modeling, water resources planning and management, climate change.

Dr. Moges has taught in many Universities in Ethiopia and abroad. He has coordinated and been involved in many regional and national projects and programs related to the Nile basin. He was the national coordinator for the Applied Training Project of the Nile Basin Initiative. He has also been involved in many regional Nile research. He published in broad areas of river basin hydrology and water resources management. He was among the first researchers published on modeling and evaluation of the impact of GERD along with his Ph.D. students. Currently, Dr. Moges works as a consultant Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the USA. He is also affiliated in teaching and research with the University of Connecticut. He is currently pursuing research to understand the long-term interaction between the Water-Energy-Food nexus.