Ethiopia has declared that it has completed the second cycle of filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a controversial dam on the Blue Nile, with 13.5 billion cubic meters of water. The massive dam has been filling rapidly throughout the rainy season in Ethiopia. The GERD reservoir is expected to take 18.4 billion cubic metres of water in the second phase of filling. The GERD retained 4 billion cubic metres (bcm) of water in its first year, bringing it up to the height of the dam wall’s lowest point at the time. Given the current state of the construction, “engineering-wise, physics-wise, there is no way to stop the filling currently” until the water level reaches the top of the dam wall, according to Mohammed Basheer of Manchester University, who has been studying the Gerd for the past decade. The dam when fully operational with a power output capacity of 6,450 megawatts per year, will be Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant, bringing electricity to 65 million Ethiopians who have never had access to electricity. It is also projected to turn Ethiopia into an investment powerhouse and deliver affordable electricity to surrounding countries.
Rosa Okeke wins the James Currey Prize for African Literature
Rose Okeke, a Nigerian writer, wins the James Currey Prize for African Literature 2022. Rose wins the £1000 award for her novel, ""Child of the Corn."" beating other shortlisted novels from 3 African countries. She also became an Oxford University fellow. The James...
