Ethiopian Waters Advisory Council (EWAC)
Ethiopia “may be prepared to share this tremendous God-given wealth of hers with friendly neighbor nations [but] it is Ethiopia’s sacred duty to develop the resources it possesses in the interest of its own rapidly expanding population and economy.”
Imperial Ethiopian Government Statement to Egypt, 1958
Vision
Our vision is to help Ethiopia identify, catalog, and harness its vast untapped water resources for the sole purpose of meeting the basic needs, including clean water, sanitation, food and nutrition, health, employment, shelter and reliable energy of its growing population in a sustainable manner.
Mission
- Our overarching mission is to conduct scientific and evidence-based research and analysis on hydrological, environmental, economic, socio-cultural, legal, national security, national sovereignty, and rights, evaluate gaps in diplomatic and foreign relations engagements, assess Nile River agreements, treaties, protocols as well as conventions; produce and disseminate high-quality policy alternatives and recommendations, and propagate as and when needed press statements that inform well-considered advice for an equitable and sustainable sharing as well sound management of Ethiopia’s transboundary rivers and their respective watersheds.
- Our short-term priority is to prepare a concise and compelling Aide-Memoire in support of Ethiopia’s decision to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (the GERD) within its own schedule; and to manage the dam independently, freely and responsibly.
- An associated short-term and urgent priority is to identify substantive international and legal norms and practices, technical, environmental, socioeconomic and related poverty alleviation concerns in the form of bullet points in support of Ethiopia’s position on the GERD; and for multifaceted use by Ethiopians and friends across the globe, including engagements with the U.N. Security Council, the European Union, the African Union, the Arab League, the U.S. Congress, foundations, major non-governmental organizations, the global media, and others.
- Our medium-term mission is to frame and present a convincing case for a comprehensive international treaty covering the Nile River Basin under pertinent international laws, agreements, conventions and protocols that govern transboundary water rights, with close attention to the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI).
- Our long-term mission is to broaden the scope of our engagement, participation and utilization of all of Ethiopia’s transboundary rivers and watersheds in an integrated and sustainable manner; and within this spirit, to spearhead comprehensive international and or bilateral treaties that would govern all significant Ethiopian transboundary rivers.
- Specific inputs towards the realization of mission numbers 4 and 5 shall include water allocation quotas, hydroelectric and irrigation dams, sustainable management and use of the ecosystem, and proposing a protocol and best practices on shared responsibilities among riparian nations.
