The Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian Air Force, General Yilma Merdesa, stated today, Sunday, that Ethiopian forces are reinforcing their units more than ever, emphasizing their close guard of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The military official made his remarks during a ceremony awarding military badges and ranks to air force recruits.
Merdesa added that attempts to destabilize the country and spread chaos internally and externally will not succeed, noting that the army represents the sovereignty of the nation and will fulfill its role in protecting and guarding the dam from any "aggression."
Meanwhile, Gideon Asfaw, head of the Ethiopian Technical Committee for Nile Dam Negotiations, stated that the success of the second filling will ensure the dam's protection as it will store approximately 18.4 billion cubic meters behind it, making it self-protecting. Gideon mentioned during a consultative forum organized by Debre Berhan University, attended by several experts, that construction is nearing completion, with overall progress at about 80 percent.
He pointed out that Ethiopia has reached an irreversible stage in building the dam, and the country looks forward to its completion, which has become a dream for all Ethiopians. Water resources expert and geology professor at Cairo University, Abbas Sharaki, indicated that recent photographs from the dam construction site reveal new details, showing that the Ethiopian side has succeeded in raising the middle passage of the dam by an additional 4 meters, reflecting the seriousness in completing the second filling.
Ethiopia has repeatedly stated its intention to conduct the second filling of the dam, estimated at 13.5 billion cubic meters, as scheduled in July, raising concerns for Egypt and Sudan about a potential reduction in their water shares. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reiterated that Egypt will not accept any harm to its water security and emphasized the need to reach a legally binding agreement that preserves Egypt's water rights and serves the interests of all parties, thereby avoiding further tension and instability in the region.
