The GERD dam in the water dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. A scenario analysis in an ecosystem approach between physical and geopolitical geography

Stefano De Falco; Giulia Fiorentino; Stefano De Falco; Giulia Fiorentino

doi:10.3934/geosci.2022014

AIMS Geosciences

2022, Volume 8, Issue 2: 233-253. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2022014

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Research article

The GERD dam in the water dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. A scenario analysis in an ecosystem approach between physical and geopolitical geography

Stefano De Falco ^,,
Giulia Fiorentino

Department of Political Sciences, University Federico Ⅱ of Naples, Italy, Via L. Rodinò 22, 80138 Naples, Italy

Received: 23 November 2021 Revised: 03 March 2022 Accepted: 07 March 2022 Published: 21 March 2022

This paper examines the transboundary water resources conflict resolution mechanisms. Although different research perspectives, including social planner, water market, game theory, static and dynamic systems engineering model, have already provided conflict resolution mechanisms that could be used to analyze transboundary water conflicts, here an ecosystemic approach based on an analytical model, is proposed. For this aim the case of GERD "Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam" on Nile Azzurro, is analyzed. The scenario of the GERD dam, besides being current and interesting in the water dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, is suitable for the application of the proposed analytical model. This model could permit researchers and practitioners to develop more comprehensive mechanisms, complementary to political strategies, with stronger analytical capacity to analyze the different elements of the process of transboundary water dispute resolution.
- Ethiopia,
- Egypt,
- Sudan,
- GERD,
- geopolitics,
- ecosystem,
- dynamics
Citation: Stefano De Falco, Giulia Fiorentino. The GERD dam in the water dispute between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. A scenario analysis in an ecosystem approach between physical and geopolitical geography[J]. AIMS Geosciences, 2022, 8(2): 233-253. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2022014

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Abstract

This paper examines the transboundary water resources conflict resolution mechanisms. Although different research perspectives, including social planner, water market, game theory, static and dynamic systems engineering model, have already provided conflict resolution mechanisms that could be used to analyze transboundary water conflicts, here an ecosystemic approach based on an analytical model, is proposed. For this aim the case of GERD "Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam" on Nile Azzurro, is analyzed. The scenario of the GERD dam, besides being current and interesting in the water dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, is suitable for the application of the proposed analytical model. This model could permit researchers and practitioners to develop more comprehensive mechanisms, complementary to political strategies, with stronger analytical capacity to analyze the different elements of the process of transboundary water dispute resolution.

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