KRISIS AIR, KEDAULATAN, DAN KERJA SAMA INTERNASIONAL: ANALISIS GERD ETHIOPIA DALAM KERANGKA SDG 6 TAHUN (2011–2024)
Keywords:
GERD, SDG 6, transboundary water diplomacy, hydro-politics, power asymmetry.Abstract
Water scarcity and transboundary river management have become critical global issues, especially in regions where rapid development and population growth strain limited resources. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile has heightened tensions between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan due to competing national interests and hydro-political asymmetries. This study investigates how Ethiopia and Egypt utilize SDG 6 in their water diplomacy strategies and why negotiations among Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan have struggled to produce stable agreements during 2011–2024. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research analyzes official documents, international reports, and media sources, employing hydro-politics and power asymmetry as theoretical frameworks. Findings reveal that Ethiopia frames GERD as a sustainable development and energy project to legitimize its water use, while Egypt emphasizes equitable distribution and the protection of downstream water security. Sudan faces a dilemma, balancing the benefits of hydropower with concerns over dam safety. Differences in national interests, technical constraints, and interpretations of SDG 6 contribute to persistent negotiation deadlocks. The study concludes that while SDG 6 provides normative legitimacy, it cannot reconcile asymmetric power relations or conflicting national priorities, highlighting the limits of global sustainability norms in transboundary water conflicts.
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