Kenya will not slow down Ethiopia's dam project: minister

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for foreign affairs Amina Mohamed said Thursday negotiations with Ethiopia on concerns raised by environmentalists on the future of Lake Turkana should not impede Ethiopia's plans to achieve energy sufficiency.

"Kenya is discussing the scientific findings with Ethiopia on the future of Lake Turkana," Mohammed told reporters in Nairobi on the sidelines of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA).

Environmentalists have been asking for the Ethiopian and the Kenyan governments to work together on limiting the potential risks that the development of the Gibe III hydro-electric power dam has on the livelihoods and the future of the communities downstream.

Ethiopia has been building the Gibe III dam as part of efforts to reach at least 15,000 megawatts of electric power to feed growing local demand and create energy reserves for energy-starved neighbours.

Both countries have been working on a joint electricity grid to allow the sharing of affordable electric power between them under a project backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

"We will ensure Ethiopia continues to do what it needs to do to become energy sufficient," Mohammed told reporters.

Environmentalists say Lake Turkana and neighbouring regions, the source of River Omo, are at risk of drying up rapidly as a result of the effects of climate change.

They argue the use of the water for a large-scale hydro-electric project threatens the water rights of the pastoralist communities.

Mohammed said the scientific findings on the impact of the hydro-electric dam were being studied. Endit