Ethiopia is set to Fill the Dam

ETHIOPIA’S GRAND Renaissance Dam undergoes construction work on the Nile River in Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia, on September 26. (Tiksa Negeri/File Photo/Reuters) (photo credit: TIKSA NEGERI / REUTERS)

Ethiopia has said it planned to complete the second phase of filling the dam during the upcoming rainy season, a move Sudan and Egypt rejected before a binding legal agreement was reached.

The latest round of talks concluded Tuesday in Kinshasa with no resolution to long-running disputes over how the dam will be operated. But Ethiopian water minister Seleshi Bekele told a press conference Wednesday that Ethiopia would continue filling the dam’s massive reservoir during the upcoming rainy season, which normally begins in June or July.

“As construction progresses, filling takes place,” Seleshi said. “We don’t deviate from that at all.” The reservoir has a capacity of 74 billion cubic metres. Filling began last year, with Ethiopia announcing in July 2020 it had hit its target of 4.9 billion cubic metres — enough to test the dam’s first two turbines, an important milestone on the way towards actually producing energy. The goal is to impound an additional 13.5 billion cubic metres this year.

Adventures with an SLR camera

I’ve never thought of myself as a photographer, but yet here I am, taking photos and writing stories. I find myself grabbing my camera and taking it with me wherever I go. Whether it’s to a friends apartment, the store, or to the park, I’m always carrying my SLR camera with me. It’s been a conversation starter for many, and has proven to be valuable in more than a handful of occasions.

One time at the park I saw a young man propose to a young woman. Without hesitation, I started clicking away at the event. So many wonderful memories were caught on film. Afterwards I went up to the couple, congratulated them, and offered to send them some photos. They were overjoyed and welcomed my spurious intrusion of camera clicks. In exchange, they bought me lunch and shared their story. I was so touched by their adventures.

Experience the joy of happiness

The joy of happiness is somewhat convoluted, I know. Isn’t joy basically being happy? Yes it is, and I’m joyful about it. Writing has been such a release of stress and an outlet for my creativity, and it has lead me to be joyful for my happiness. I’ve been happy, but now I understand that one of the biggest contributions to that happiness has been my joy of writing. With this knowledge, I’m now experiencing why I’m happy.

I’ll never stop writing and publishing. It’s almost meditative for me.