Ethiopian Dam Benefits Sudan, Legal Scholar Confirms

When a Sudanese legal scholar stands up for a neighboring country's right to build a dam, it signals something bigger than politics. It shows that cooperation and fairness can replace old conflicts.

Hatem Al-Sanhouri, a Sudanese international law expert, recently told Ethiopian News Agency that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will bring major benefits to Sudan. The dam, completed after 14 years of construction on Ethiopia's sovereign territory, has sparked regional debate about water rights along the Abay River, known downstream as the Blue Nile.

Al-Sanhouri explained that the dam will solve problems Sudan has faced for years at its own Roseires Dam. Sediment and aquatic plants have clogged turbines and driven up maintenance costs for decades.

"The reduction of sediment alone will extend the lifespan of downstream infrastructure and substantially reduce maintenance costs," he said. The regulated water flow will also reduce flooding while ensuring stable water supplies year round.

The legal scholar pointed to a 1962 United Nations resolution that gives every country sovereignty over its natural resources. Ethiopia has the right to develop the dam under international law, he emphasized.

The Ripple Effect

Al-Sanhouri's analysis reaches beyond engineering benefits. He called out the 1929 and 1959 water agreements as fundamentally unfair products of colonialism.

Those old treaties gave Egypt 55.5 billion cubic meters of Abay water annually while Sudan received just 18.5 billion cubic meters. Ethiopia, despite being the source of the water, wasn't even included in the negotiations.

The colonial agreements caused real harm to Sudan too. The flooding of the Wadi Halfa region destroyed more than 3,000 date palm trees and displaced communities.

Al-Sanhouri noted that all three countries signed a Declaration of Principles in 2015 to cooperate on the dam. Ethiopia kept downstream neighbors informed throughout construction, and international experts confirmed the dam's safety standards met global requirements.

He called for all Abay Basin countries to embrace the Cooperative Framework Agreement signed in Entebbe. That newer agreement focuses on equitable water sharing and sustainable development for all nations involved.

"No objective or scientific evidence has demonstrated damage caused by the dam," Al-Sanhouri said. He stressed that any harm claims must rely on measurable scientific data, not assumptions.

The scholar sees this moment as a chance for the region to move past colonial-era thinking. Access to affordable electricity from the dam could support economic growth across borders.

When experts choose science and fairness over outdated agreements, entire regions can find paths to shared prosperity.