Salale University Hosts High-Level Forum with GERD Project Office to Advance Integrated Abay Basin Management
Salale University, in collaboration with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) Project Coordination Office, successfully organized a national consultation forum under the theme “One Plan, One Report for the management of Abay Basin.” The forum served as a strategic platform to develop a unified and integrated management plan for the Abay Basin, with the overarching goal of extending the operational lifespan and sustainability of the GERD, Ethiopia’s flagship hydropower project.
The high-level consultation brought together representatives from 12 universities located within the Abay Basin, along with federal institutions, regional government offices, researchers, and subject-matter experts. This diverse participation reflected a shared national commitment to advancing coordinated basin-wide management and safeguarding the GERD’s long-term benefits.
In his welcoming address, Dr. Feyera Dinsa, President of Salale University, highlighted the GERD’s symbolic and strategic significance as a historic diplomatic triumph and a powerful emblem of Ethiopian unity and determination. He also reaffirmed Salale University’s dedication to supporting the dam’s sustainability through Green Legacy environmental initiatives aimed at mitigating sedimentation, preserving ecosystems, and ensuring the dam’s long-term operational capacity.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Aregawi Berhe, Chief Executive of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, emphasized the crucial need for an integrated approach to Abay Basin water resource management. He stressed that protecting and optimizing the GERD is not only a national development priority but also a generational responsibility, calling on Ethiopian universities and research institutions to take a leading role in shaping basin-wide environmental and water governance policies.
Forum discussions centered on the development of a comprehensive and unified framework under the guiding principle of “One Plan, One Report,” with the objective of harmonizing research, policy, and implementation efforts across all Abay Basin stakeholders.
The forum concluded with the official signing of an agreement to establish a consortium of 12 Abay Basin universities, marking a milestone in collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable management of Ethiopia’s largest river basin. This consortium will serve as a strategic platform for research collaboration, policy development, environmental protection, and technical expertise in support of extending the GERD’s lifespan and enhancing its economic and ecological impact.
Source: Salale University
