 Hello and welcome to Chhada Kya IS Academy, I am Priya Kumari and today's special current affair topic, World's Longest River divides three countries. So before proceeding further, today's points of discussion are context, background, triggering issue, cause of concern, why Ethiopia wants this dam and current issue or current situation. The context behind this topic is, recently, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt agreed to resume negotiations to resolve their decade long complex dispute over the grand renaissance dam Hydropower project in the Horn of Africa. So you can see the location of the dam in the picture. So before proceeding further, please comment the answer in the comment box that the question which I am going to ask, that which of the countries, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, which of these countries are landlocked. So please comment the answer in the comment box. So background behind this topic is, the Nile, Africa's longest river has been at the center of decade long complex dispute involving several countries that are dependent on the river's waters. And the forefront of this dispute are Ethiopia and Egypt, with Sudan having found itself dragged into the issue. Spare headed by Ethiopia, the 145 meter tall grand renaissance dam Hydropower project when completed will be Africa's largest. The main waterways of the Nile run through Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt and its drainage basin runs through several countries in East Africa, including Ethiopia, the portion where this dam is being constructed. So the triggering issue, what is that triggering issue? So recently, the tensions among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the grand Ethiopian renaissance dam or GERD on the blue Nile have escalated, particularly after Ethiopia announced that it had started filling the GERD's reservoir and action contrary to Egypt's mandate that the dam not to be filled without a legally binding agreement over the equitable allocation of the Nile's waters. So what is this GERD? The construction of the dam was initiated in 2011 on the blue Nile, which is the tributary of the river Nile that run across one part of Ethiopia. The Nile is a necessary water source in the region and Egypt has consistently objected to the dam's construction saying it will impact water flow. Now what are the cause of concern? This long-standing dispute has been a cause of concern for international observers who fear that it may increase conflict between the two nations and spill out into other countries in the Horn of Africa. Given the dam's location on the blue Nile tributary, it would potentially allow Ethiopia to gain control of the flow of the river's waters. Egypt lies further downstream and is concerned that Ethiopia's control over the water could result in lower water levels within its own waters. So why does Ethiopia want this dam? Now according to Ethiopia, the goal is to secure electricity for its population and to sustain and develop its growing manufacturing industry. The capital Addis Ababa anticipates that this dam will generate approximately 6,000 megawatts of electricity when it is completed and that can be distributed for the needs of its population and industries. In addition to its domestic requirements, Ethiopia may be hoping to sell surplus electricity to neighboring nations like Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea and South Sudan that also suffer from electricity shortages to generate some revenue. So what is this current situation at present? What is going on? So the latest round of talks between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt occurred through video conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with South Africa observing the proceedings in its role as the current head of the African Union's rotating council in addition to other international observers. Despite previous talks, the point of contention hasn't changed. Egypt and Sudan are concerned about the filling and the operation of the dam. Ethiopia continues to insist that the dam is required to meet the needs of its population and has said that downstream water supplies will not be adversely affected. But this has done little to pacify both Egypt and Sudan, with Cairo saying that the dam would cut its water supplies concerning for a country that depends on the night for approximately 97% of its drinking water and irrigation supplies. So that's all for today's topic, see you in the next topic, till then take care and goodbye.