The Potential Water, Food, and Energy Security-Related Impacts of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam – Gerd Amharic: ታላበየኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ጠድብ on the Lower Stream Riparian States and Egypt’s Distinct Concern Scepticism: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis

The Nile River is remained to be a critical resource and center of contradiction among the Nile basin states. Scholars argue that Egypt had an upper hand over the use of the Nile River. However, Egypt’s hegemony over the Nile has been significantly challenged since the initiation of the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in 2011. This creates heavy tension, particularly between Ethiopia and Egypt in the last decade. Though the GERD has been filling the reservoir over the last two years and recently started to generate electric power, the potential negative impacts of the dam over the lower riparian countries remained unclear. This systematic review and meta-synthesis investigated the potential water, food, and energy security-related transboundary impacts of the GERD on the lower riparian states. Furthermore, the research work explored Egypt’s distinct concern over GERD. The reduction in Nile water volume and velocity, the likelihood of water loss through evaporation, the impoverishment of agricultural lands, the depletion of water reserve, easing of hydroelectric power generation, and the ever-increasing threats in water security are reported to be some of the major water, food, and energy security-related transboundary impacts of the GERD on the lower stream riparian states. On the other hand, the fear of a potential reduction in water supply from the Nile and the consequent occurrence of drought during the dry seasons, and the unresolved tripartite disagreement on the operational detail of the mega-dam are identified to be the major concerns of Egypt over the GERD. Ethiopia has reportedly said the GERD has no significant harm on the lower riparian states. The country believes that the mega project is a way forward to facilitate economic development among the riparian states and mitigate the shortage of electric power in the region.