Promoting equitable, peaceful and sustainable use of the Blue Nile waters through the lens of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

Description of impact

The issue of water management in the Nile basin is a source of regional contestation between the neighbouring states. Research led by Professor Yihdego at the University of Aberdeen has been instrumental in articulating how the legal principle of fairness can play a role in ensuring practical implementation of equitable and cooperative utilisation of the Nile Waters and the operation and management of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As a consequence of his work, increasing attention is being paid to the principles of procedural fairness and distributive justice and their role in creating a new trilateral communication framework. Yihdego’s collaborative and individual research has been drawn on by government officials and policy makers in Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, providing strategies to arrive at a peaceful and equitable resolution of the tension. It thereby fosters cooperation and supports regional peace and security.

Who is affected by, or benefits from, the research?

Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt and their populations

Outcomes to Date / Future Developments

Yihdego’s research has successfully established an evidence base and information framework for policy makers and negotiators looking to fashion the sustainable and equitable management of water resources. Through his research and as lead of an international multi-disciplinary consortium comprised of experts in hydrology, economics, law, hydro-politics and environmental science from the region, Europe and North America, Yihdego has developed recommendations for policy makers on the GERD. In doing so, Yihdego has informed and facilitated international discussions concerning water management in the region. This has occurred at the level of NGO, intergovernmental negotiations, and at the United Nations; throughout he has also sought to raise public awareness and deepen public knowledge of the issues involved.

Impact status	Impact Completed (Open)
Impact date	2013 → 2020
Category of impact	Societal
Stage of Impact	Benefit