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146-658: The source is located 15 km west of Lake Tana at an elevation of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) above sea level. The mouth of the river Beles in the Blue Nile is located about 40 km upstream of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam that is under construction, and the water of the Beles will be used in the future. Since the Tana Beles hydroelectric power plant has been put into operation in 2010,

292-631: A charter member of the United Nations. In 1948, the Ogaden , a region disputed with both Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland , was granted to Ethiopia. On 2 December 1950, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 390 (V), establishing the federation of Eritrea (the former Italian colony) into Ethiopia. Eritrea was to have its own constitution, which would provide for ethnic, linguistic, and cultural balance, while Ethiopia

438-498: A 500 kV HVDC line. The volume of the reservoir will be two to three times that of Lake Tana . Up to 7,000 tonnes of fish are expected to be harvested annually. The reservoir may become a tourist destination . Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I ( Ge'ez : ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ Qädamawi Ḫäylä Śəllase , lit.   ' Power of the Trinity ' ; born Tafari Makonnen ; 23 July 1892 – 27 August 1975)

584-486: A diplomatic initiative to undermine support for the dam in the region as well as in other countries supporting the project such as China and Italy. However, other nations in the Nile Basin Initiative have expressed support for the dam, including Sudan, the only other nation downstream of the Blue Nile, although Sudan's position towards the dam has varied over time. In 2014, Sudan accused Egypt of inflaming

730-571: A few months. The installed power of 6.450 MW in combination with the size of the reservoir will help to manage the side effects of the next severe drought, when other hydropower plants have to stop their operations. In recent years due to the threat of a possible airstrike on the dam, the Ethiopian government has sought and bought several air defence systems from Russia, including the Pantsir-S1 air defence system, and from Israel, including

876-554: A flood event once every 1000 years. Flanking either side of the auxiliary ungated spillway at the centre of the dam are two power houses , that are equipped with 2 x 375 MW Francis turbine -generators and 11 x 400 MW turbines. The total installed capacity with all turbine-generators will be 5,150 MW. The average annual flow of the Blue Nile being available for power generation is expected to be 1,547 m /s (54,600 cu ft/s), which gives rise to an annual expectation for power generation of 16,153 GWh, corresponding to

1022-837: A key role at the Battle of Adwa ; Haile Selassie was thus able to ascend to the imperial throne through his paternal grandmother, Woizero Tenagnework Sahle Selassie, who was an aunt of Emperor Menelik II and daughter of the Solomonic Amhara King of Shewa, Negus Sahle Selassie. As such, Haile Selassie claimed direct descent from Makeda , the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of ancient Israel. Ras Makonnen arranged for Tafari as well as his first cousin, Imru Haile Selassie , to receive instruction in Harar from Abba Samuel Wolde Kahin , an Ethiopian Capuchin friar, and from Dr. Vitalien,

1168-577: A noble family from Shewa and was the governor of the districts of Menz and Doba , which are located in Semien Shewa . Tafari's mother was the daughter of a ruling chief from Were Ilu in Wollo province, Dejazmach Ali Abba Jifar. Ras Makonnen was the grandson of King Sahle Selassie who was once the ruler of Shewa . He served as a general in the First Italo–Ethiopian War , playing

1314-406: A plant load factor (or capacity factor ) of 28.6%. The Francis turbines inside the power houses are installed vertically, rising 7 m (23 ft) above the ground level. For the operation between the minimum operating level and the full supply level, the water head available to the turbines is between 83–133 m (272–436 ft). A switching station is located close to the main dam, where

1460-463: A political match designed to create peace between Ethiopian nobles, the couple's family had said they married with mutual consent. Selassie described his spouse as a "woman without any malice whatsoever". The extent to which Tafari Makonnen contributed to the movement that would come to depose Lij Iyasu has been discussed extensively, particularly in Haile Selassie's own detailed account of

1606-660: A potential for about 45 GW of hydropower. The dam is being funded by government bonds and private donations. It was slated for completion in July 2017. The potential impacts of the dam have been the source of severe regional controversy. The Government of Egypt, a country which depends on the Nile for about 90% of its water, has demanded that Ethiopia cease construction on the dam as a precondition to negotiations, has sought regional support for its position, and some political leaders have discussed methods to sabotage it. Egypt has planned

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1752-474: A professor of mechanical engineering at San Diego State University in California, the dam and its hydropower plant are massively oversized: "GERD’s available power output, based on the average of river flow throughout the year and the dam height, is about 2,000 megawatts, not 6,000. There is little doubt that the system has been designed for a peak flow rate that only happens during the two to three months of

1898-570: A single location simultaneously in Ethiopian history . Conservatives agitated to redress this perceived insult to the crown's dignity, leading to the Ras Gugsa Welle's rebellion . Gugsa Welle was the husband of the Empress and the Shum of Begemder Province. In early 1930, he raised an army and marched it from his governorate at Gondar towards Addis Ababa . On 31 March 1930, Gugsa Welle

2044-405: A smaller dam would have been more cost-effective. Soon after, in 2012, the hydropower plant was upgraded to receive 16 generating units with 375 MW nameplate capacity each, increasing the total installed capacity to 6,000 MW, with the expected power generation going up only slightly to 15,692 GWh per annum. Consequently, the capacity factor shrank to 29.9%. According to Asfaw Beyene,

2190-590: A stabilising backbone of the Ethiopian national grid. There will be exports, but only if there is a total surplus of energy generated in Ethiopia. This is mainly expected to happen during rainy seasons, when there is plenty of water for hydropower generation. The eventual surplus electricity of GERD which does not fit the demand inside Ethiopia, is then to be sold and exported to neighbouring countries including Sudan and possibly Egypt, but also Djibouti . Exporting

2336-428: A surgeon from Guadeloupe . Tafari was named Dejazmach (literally "commander of the gate", roughly equivalent to " count ") at the age of 13, on 1 November 1905. Shortly thereafter, his father Makonnen died at Kulibi , in 1906. Tafari assumed the titular governorship of Selale in 1906, a realm of marginal importance, but one that enabled him to continue his studies. In 1907, he was appointed governor over part of

2482-477: A threat to the alliance he had so calculably constructed. Therefore, he took it upon himself to attempt to influence a more moderate posture within the group. Amidst popular uprisings by the country's students, peasants, urban dwellers, merchants, political activists, and marginalised religious and ethnic groups, Haile Selassie was overthrown by the Derg in the 1974 Ethiopian coup d'état . With support from

2628-675: A tour have inspired so many anecdotes". In return for two lions, the United Kingdom presented Tafari with the imperial crown of Emperor Tewodros II for its safe return to Empress Zewditu. The crown had been taken by General Sir Robert Napier during the 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia . In this period, the Crown Prince visited the Armenian monastery of Jerusalem . There, he adopted 40 Armenian orphans (አርባ ልጆች Arba Lijoch , "forty children"), who had lost their parents during

2774-421: A water level of 560 m (1,840 ft), 30 m (98 ft) below the minimum operating level of the other 11 turbine-generators. At that level, the reservoir had been filled with roughly 5.5 km (1.3 cu mi) of water, corresponding to roughly 11% of the annual inflow of 48.8 km (11.7 cu mi). During the rainy season, this can happen within days to weeks. The first stage filling of

2920-639: A young man. The "Oriental Dignity" of the Ethiopians and their "rich, picturesque court dress" were sensationalised in the media; among his entourage he even included a pride of lions, which he distributed as gifts to President Alexandre Millerand and Prime Minister Raymond Poincaré of France , to King George V of the United Kingdom , and to the Zoological Garden ( Jardin Zoologique ) of Paris, France. As one historian noted, "Rarely can

3066-556: Is at once a benefit and a misfortune." Throughout Tafari's travels in Europe, the Levant , and Egypt, he and his entourage were greeted with enthusiasm and fascination. Seyum Mangasha accompanied him and Hailu Tekle Haymanot who, like Tafari, were sons of generals who contributed to the victorious war against Italy a quarter-century earlier at the Battle of Adwa . Another member of his entourage, Mulugeta Yeggazu, actually fought at Adwa as

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3212-733: Is building on the Nile have reached a deadlock. Beginning in November 2019, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin began facilitating negotiations among the three countries. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is estimated to cost close to 5 billion US dollars, about 7% of the 2016 Ethiopian gross national product. The lack of international financing for projects on the Blue Nile River has persistently been attributed to Egypt's campaign to keep control of Nile water sharing. Ethiopia has been forced to finance

3358-554: Is electricity production to relieve Ethiopia's acute energy shortage and to export electricity to neighbouring countries. With a planned installed capacity of 5.15 gigawatts when completed, the dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa and among the 20 largest in the world . The first phase of filling the reservoir began in July 2020 and in August 2020 the water level increased to 540 meters (40 meters higher than

3504-614: Is expected to be much higher, 0.21 km (170,000 acre⋅ft) per annum. The GERD reservoir will foreseeably remove any siltation threat from the Roseires reservoir. The base of the GERD dam is at around 500 m (1,600 ft) above sea level. Water discharge from the dam will be released back into the Blue Nile which flows for only about 30 km (19 mi), before joining the Roseires reservoir, which – at maximum level – will be at 490 m (1,610 ft) above sea level. There

3650-989: Is however considered a formality and is unfindable. The social impacts of the Tana-Beles water transfer have been studied and results published in the high-profile Journal of Hydrology : the dangerously high increases in discharge of Beles river have led to the drowning of 250 people between 2010 and 2018. The negative impacts on rural livelihoods are however overshadowed by national development goals (electricity production). The external costs (coping with damage) are borne by local people, who have low bargaining power. 10°54′N 35°16′E  /  10.900°N 35.267°E  / 10.900; 35.267 Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam ( GERD or TaIHiGe ; Amharic : ታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ , romanized :  Tālāqu ye-Ītyōppyā Hidāsē Gidib , Tigrinya : ግድብ ሕዳሰ ኢትዮጵያ , Oromo : Hidha Haaromsaa Guddicha Itoophiyaa ), formerly known as

3796-457: Is only a 10 m (33 ft) river elevation difference between both projects. The two reservoirs and accompanying hydropower projects could – if coordinated properly across the border between Ethiopia and Sudan – become a cascaded system for more efficient hydropower generation and enhanced irrigation (in Sudan in particular). Water from the 140 m (460 ft) column of the water storage of

3942-603: Is referred to as the returned Jesus —that is, the Messiah and God incarnate . This distinction notwithstanding, he was a Christian and adhered to the tenets and liturgy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church . He has been criticised by some historians for his suppression of rebellions among the landed aristocracy ( Mesafint ), which consistently opposed his changes. Some have also criticised Ethiopia's failure to modernise rapidly enough. During his reign,

4088-668: Is relying heavily on hydropower, but the country is often affected by droughts (see e.g. 2011 East Africa drought ). The water reservoirs used for power generation in Ethiopia have a limited size. For example, the Gilgel Gibe I reservoir , that feeds both the Gilgel Gibe I powerplant and the Gilgel Gibe II Power Station , has a capacity of 0.7 km . In times of drought, there is no water left to generate electrical power. This heavily affected Ethiopia in

4234-522: Is the Italian company Webuild (formerly Salini Impregilo), which also served as primary contractor for the Gilgel Gibe II , Gilgel Gibe III and Tana Beles dams. Simegnew Bekele was the project manager of GERD from the start of construction in 2011 up to his death on 26 July 2018. In October that year, he was replaced by Kifle Horo. The dam required 10 million m³ of concrete, for which

4380-426: Is therefore 140 m (460 ft) above the ground level of the main dam. Hydropower generation occurs between reservoir levels of 590 m (1,940 ft), the so-called minimum operating level , and 640 m (2,100 ft), the full supply level . The live storage volume , usable for power generation between both levels is therefore 59.2 km (48,000,000 acre⋅ft). The first 90 m (300 ft) of

4526-424: Is translated as "child" and serves to indicate that a youth is of noble blood. His given name Tafari means "one who is respected or feared". Like most Ethiopians, his personal name "Tafari" is followed by that of his father Makonnen and that of his grandfather Woldemikael. His name Haile Selassie was given to him at his infant baptism and adopted again as part of his regnal name in 1930. On 1 November 1905, at

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4672-515: The Armenian Genocide . Tafari arranged for the musical education of the youths, and they came to form the imperial brass band. Tafari's authority was challenged in 1928 when Dejazmach Balcha Safo went to Addis Ababa with a sizeable armed force. When Tafari consolidated his hold over the provinces, many of Menelik's appointees refused to abide by the new regulations. Balcha Safo, the governor ( Shum ) of coffee-rich Sidamo Province ,

4818-465: The Battle of Shire , Haile Selassie took the field with the last Ethiopian army on the northern front. On 31 March 1936, he launched a counterattack against the Italians himself at the Battle of Maychew in southern Tigray . The Emperor's army was defeated and retreated in disarray. As Haile Selassie's army withdrew, the Italians attacked from the air along with rebellious Raya and Azebo tribesmen on

4964-557: The Ethiopian Empire , Selassie defeated Ethiopian army commander Ras Gugsa Welle Bitul , who was the nephew of Empress Taytu Betul , during the Battle of Anchem . He belonged to the Solomonic dynasty , which was founded by Emperor Yekuno Amlak in 1270; Amlak's successors claimed that he was a lineal descendant of Menelik I , the legendary Emperor of Ethiopia who was supposedly born to King Solomon and Queen Makeda of

5110-777: The Harari people were persecuted and many left the Harari Region . His administration was also criticised by human rights groups, such as Human Rights Watch , as autocratic and illiberal. According to some sources, late into Haile Selassie's administration, the Oromo language was banned from education, public speaking and use in administration, though there was never an official law or government policy that criminalised any language. His government also relocated many Amhara people into southern Ethiopia, where they served in government administration, courts, and church. Following

5256-584: The Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Sheba , respectively. Modern historians regard the Solomonic lineage claim as an unfounded myth created by Yekuno Amlak to justify wresting power from the Zagwe Dynasty . Haile Selassie, seeking to modernise Ethiopia, introduced a series of political and social reforms, including the 1931 constitution and the abolition of slavery . He led the empire during

5402-661: The Millennium Dam and sometimes referred to as the Hidase Dam ( Amharic : ሕዳሴ ግድብ , romanized :  Hidāsē Gidib , Oromo : Hidha Hidāsē ), is a gravity dam on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia. The dam is in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, about 14 km (9 mi) east of the border with Sudan . Constructed between 2011 and 2023, the dam's primary purpose

5548-489: The Ogaden Desert and his father, Negus Mikael of Wollo , had time to come to his aid. On 27 October, Negus Mikael and his army met an army under Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis loyal to Zewditu and Tafari. During the Battle of Segale , Mikael was defeated and captured. Any chance that Iyasu would regain the throne was ended, and he went into hiding. On 11 January 1921, after avoiding capture for about five years, Iyasu

5694-496: The SPYDER-MR medium-range air defence system which was installed at the dam. Egypt sought to block the sale between Israel and Ethiopia but Israel ignored the request. A major benefit of the dam will be hydropower production. All the energy generated by GERD will be going into the national grid of Ethiopia to fully support the development of the whole country, both in rural and urban areas. The role of GERD will be to act as

5840-731: The Second Italo-Ethiopian War and after its defeat was exiled to the United Kingdom . After the beginning of the Italian occupation of East Africa , he traveled to Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to assist in coordinating the Ethiopian struggle against Fascist Italy , and was able to return home following the East African campaign of World War II . He later dissolved the Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea , which

5986-753: The Soviet Union , the Derg began governing Ethiopia as a Marxist–Leninist state . In 1994, three years after the fall of the Derg military junta , it was revealed to the public that the Derg had assassinated Haile Selassie at the Jubilee Palace in Addis Ababa on 27 August 1975. On 5 November 2000, his excavated remains were buried at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Addis Ababa . Among some adherents of Rastafari , Haile Selassie

Beles River - Misplaced Pages Continue

6132-517: The Welwel Incident of 5 December 1934, Haile Selassie joined his northern armies and set up headquarters at Desse in Wollo province. He issued a generalized mobilization order on 3 October 1935. On 19 October 1935, he gave more precise orders for his army to his Commander-in-Chief, Ras Kassa , instructing the men to choose hidden positions, to conserve ammunition, and to avoid wearing conspicuous clothing for fear of air attack. Compared to

6278-745: The autocephaly of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church . The Ethiopian Orthodox Church had been headed by the Abuna , a bishop who answered to the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria . In 1942 and 1945, Haile Selassie applied to the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church to establish the independence of Ethiopian bishops, and when his appeals were denied he threatened to sever relations with

6424-560: The " Gideon Force " of Colonel Orde Wingate , coordinated the military effort to liberate Ethiopia. Haile Selassie issued several imperial proclamations in this period, demonstrating that British military might and the Emperor's popular appeal could be joined in the concerted effort to liberate Ethiopia. On 18 January 1941, during the East African Campaign , Haile Selassie crossed the border between Sudan and Ethiopia, near

6570-465: The 13th anniversary of the foundation stone laying for the Renaissance Dam project, the construction reached 95% completion, which included the accomplishment of 98.9% of the civil works and 78% of the electro-mechanical work. In the meantime, the hydroelectric project boasted a capacity of 540 megawatts, facilitated by two turbines, with plans to eventually produce 5,150 megawatts. Furthermore,

6716-485: The Beles has received water from Lake Tana via the Tana-Beles interbasin transfer , which is to be used in a series of irrigation projects below the power plant. For this purpose a series of dams were built. These large water transfers from Lake Tana to Beles River affect the movement of people, the hydrogeomorphology, and ecology of the river. The Environmental Impact Assessment of the Beles hydropower project

6862-444: The Ethiopian people, exactly five years after the fascist forces entered Addis Ababa. He urged them not to reciprocate the atrocities they had been subjected to. On 27 August 1942, Haile Selassie confirmed the legal basis for the abolition of slavery that had been illegally enacted by Italian occupying forces throughout the empire and imposed severe penalties, including death, for slave trading. After World War II, Ethiopia became

7008-463: The Ethiopians, the Italians had an advanced, modern military that included a large air force. The Italians also came to employ chemical weapons throughout the conflict, even targeting Red Cross field hospitals. Starting in early October 1935, the Italians invaded Ethiopia . But, by November, the pace of invasion had slowed appreciably, and Haile Selassie's northern armies were able to launch what

7154-505: The GERD is now 5,150 MW, with 13 turbines (2x 375 MW and 11x 400 MW) down from 16 turbines. Not only the electrical power parameters changed over time, but also the storage parameters. Originally, in 2011, the dam was planned to be 145 m (476 ft) tall with a volume of 10.1 million m³. The reservoir was planned to have a volume of 66 km (54,000,000 acre⋅ft) and a surface area of 1,680 km (650 sq mi) at full supply level. The rock-filled saddle dam beside

7300-461: The GERD reservoir approached nearly 4.12 billion m³, measured using images from the Sentinel-1A satellite. In February 2021, Ethiopian Minister of Water and Irrigation, Seleshi Bekele, mentioned that the engineering comlpetion reached 91%, while the total construction completion was 78.3%. In May 2021, Minister of Water and Irrigation Seleshi Bekele mentioned that 80% of dam construction

7446-623: The GERD reservoir could be diverted through tunnels to facilitate new irrigation schemes in Sudan close to the border with South Sudan . Evaporation of water from the reservoir is expected to be at 3% of the annual inflow volume of 48.8 km (11.7 cu mi), or 1.5 km (0.36 cu mi) annually. This was considered negligible by the IPoE. For comparison, Lake Nasser in Egypt loses between 10–16 km (2.4–3.8 cu mi) annually through evaporation. The main GERD contractor

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7592-669: The GERD with crowdsourcing through internal fundraising in the form of selling bonds and persuading employees to contribute a portion of their incomes. Contributions are made in the newly official website confirmed by the verified account of the Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Of the total cost, 1 billion US dollars for turbines and electrical equipment was funded by the Exim Bank of China . The design changed several times between 2011 and 2019. This affected both

7738-635: The German side in June 1940. Haile Selassie's pleas for international support took root in the United States, particularly among African-American organisations sympathetic to the Ethiopian cause. In 1937, Haile Selassie was to give a Christmas Day radio address to the American people to thank his supporters when his taxi was involved in a traffic accident, leaving him with a fractured knee. He delivered

7884-576: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was identified by the United States Bureau of Reclamation in the course of the Blue Nile survey, which was conducted between 1956 and 1964 during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie . Due to the coup d'état of 1974 , Somalia's invasion of Ethiopia in 1977–78, and the 15-year-long Ethiopian Civil War , however, the project failed to progress. The Ethiopian Government surveyed

8030-611: The League of Nations afforded Haile Selassie the opportunity to address the assembly. In response, Italy withdrew its League delegation. Haile Selassie was introduced by the president of the Assembly as "His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Ethiopia" ( Sa Majesté Imperiale, l'Empereur d'Éthiopie ). The introduction caused many Italian journalists in the galleries to erupt into jeering, heckling, and whistling. They had earlier been issued whistles by Mussolini's son-in-law, Count Galeazzo Ciano . The Romanian delegate and former League president, Nicolae Titulescu , jumped to his feet and cried "To

8176-699: The League of Nations effectively collapsed was due to its failure to condemn Italy's invasion of Abyssinia. Haile Selassie spent his exile years (1936–1941) in Bath , England, in Fairfield House , which he bought. The Emperor and Kassa Haile Darge took morning walks together behind the 14-room Victorian house's high walls. Haile Selassie's favorite reading was "diplomatic history". It was during his exile in England that he began writing his 90,000-word autobiography. Prior to Fairfield House, he briefly stayed at Warne's Hotel in Worthing and in Parkside, Wimbledon . A bust of Haile Selassie by Hilda Seligman stood in nearby Cannizaro Park to commemorate his stay, and

8322-442: The Orthodox clergy imposed strict rules concerning her diet during Lent, against her physicians' orders. Upon Zewditu's death, Tafari himself rose to emperor and was proclaimed Neguse Negest ze-'Ityopp'ya , "King of Kings of Ethiopia". He was crowned on 2 November 1930, at Addis Ababa's Cathedral of St. George . The coronation was by all accounts "a most splendid affair", and it was attended by royals and dignitaries from all over

8468-463: The Shewan Amhara Solomonic king, Sahle Selassie . He was born on 23 July 1892, in the village of Ejersa Goro , in the Hararghe province of Ethiopia. Tafari's mother, Woizero ("Lady") Yeshimebet Ali Abba Jifar, was paternally of Oromo descent and maternally of Silte heritage, while his father, Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael , was maternally of Amhara descent but his paternal lineage remains disputed. Tafari's paternal grandfather belonged to

8614-407: The Trinity". Haile Selassie's full title in office was "By the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah , His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, Lord of Lords, Elect of God". This title reflects Ethiopian dynastic traditions, which hold that all monarchs must trace their lineage to Menelik I , who is described by the Kebra Nagast (a 14th-century CE national epic) as

8760-437: The address despite his injury, in which he linked Christianity and goodwill with the Covenant of the League of Nations , and asserted that war can be resolved diplomatically. During this period, Haile Selassie suffered several personal tragedies. His two sons-in-law, Ras Desta Damtew and Dejazmach Beyene Merid , were both executed by the Italians. The Emperor's daughter, Princess Romanework , wife of Dejazmach Beyene Merid,

8906-451: The age of 13, Tafari was appointed by his father as the Dejazmatch of Gara Mulatta (a region some twenty miles southwest of Harar). The literal translation of Dejazmatch is "keeper of the door"; it is a title of nobility equivalent to a count . On 27 September 1916, he was proclaimed Crown Prince and heir apparent to the throne ( Alga Worrach ), and appointed Regent Plenipotentiary ( Balemulu Silt'an Enderase ). On 11 February 1917, he

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9052-403: The bottom of the river which is at 500 meters above sea level). The second phase of filling was completed on 19 July 2021, with water levels increased to around 575 meters. The third filling was completed on 12 August 2022 to a level of 600 metres (2,000 ft). The fourth filling was completed on 10 September 2023 with water levels at around 625 metres (2,051 ft). On 20 February 2022,

9198-399: The capacity factor shrank again and reached 28.6%. This time nobody publicly voiced concern. Such optimisation of the Francis turbines used at the dam site is indeed possible and is usually done by the provider of the turbines taking into account site-specific conditions. Considering the critics voiced about the alleged over-sizing of the possible power output, now of 6,450 MW. Ethiopia

9344-457: The cause of fascism and embolden its empire's rhetoric. Ethiopia would also provide a bridge between Italy's Eritrean and Italian Somaliland possessions. Ethiopia's position in the League of Nations did not dissuade the Italians from invading in 1935; the " collective security " envisaged by the League proved useless, and a scandal erupted when the Hoare–Laval Pact revealed that Ethiopia's League allies were scheming to appease Italy. Following

9490-415: The claims of competing factions. In other words, she had the last word. But unlike other monarchs Tafari carried the burden of daily administration, but, initially because his position was relatively weak, this was often an exercise in futility. His personal army was poorly equipped, his finances were limited, and he had little leverage to withstand the combined influence of the Empress, the Minister of War, or

9636-443: The construction of the dam had been completed. In 2012, the International Panel of Experts was formed with experts from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and other independent entities to discuss mainly engineering and partially impact related questions. This panel concluded at a number of engineering modifications, that were proposed to Ethiopia and the main contractor constructing the dam. One of the two main engineering questions, dealing with

9782-409: The coronation, but who had dedicated a prayer for the Emperor on the day of the coronation. Haile Selassie introduced Ethiopia's first written constitution on 16 July 1931, providing for a bicameral legislature . The constitution kept power in the hands of the nobility, but it did establish democratic standards among the nobility, envisaging a transition to democratic rule: it would prevail "until

9928-450: The crest of the main dam was raised. The rock saddle dam went up to a height of 50 m (160 ft), an increase of 5 metres (16 ft), with a length of 5,200 m (17,100 ft), an increase of 400 metres (1,300 ft). The volume of the rock saddle dam increased to 16.5 million cubic metres (580 × 10 ^  cu ft), an increase of 1.5 million cubic metres (53 × 10 ^  cu ft). The zero level of

10074-407: The dam held 42 billion m³ of water, a figure projected to rise to 74 billion m³ upon completion. Later that year, on 17 July, the fifth filling began with the goal of completion by September. The reservoir was set to hold 64 billion m³ of water, with its levels reaching approximately 640 metres (2,100 ft). In late October 2024, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced in parliament that

10220-498: The dam produced electricity for the first time, delivering 375 MW to the grid. A second 375 MW turbine was commissioned in August 2022. The third and fourth 400 MW turbines were commissioned in August 2024. The name that the Blue Nile river takes in Ethiopia ("Abay") is derived from the Ge'ez word for 'great' to imply its being 'the river of rivers'. The word Abay still exists in Ethiopian major languages to refer to anything or anyone considered to be superior. The eventual site for

10366-459: The dam would not reduce water availability downstream and would also regulate water for irrigation. In May 2011, it was announced that Ethiopia would share blueprints for the dam with Egypt so that the downstream impact could be examined. The dam was originally called "Project X", and after its contract was announced it was called the Millennium Dam. On 15 April 2011, the Council of Ministers renamed it Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Ethiopia has

10512-462: The death of Ethiopian civil rights activist Hachalu Hundessa in 2020, the Bust of Haile Selassie in the United Kingdom was destroyed by Oromo-speaking protesters, and an equestrian monument depicting his father Makonnen Wolde Mikael was also removed from Harar . Haile Selassie was known as a child as Lij Tafari Makonnen (Ge'ez: ልጅ ተፈሪ መኮንን , romanized:  Ləj Täfäri Mäkonnən ). Lij

10658-515: The death of Sultan Abba Jifar II of Jimma . Ethiopia became the target of renewed Italian imperialist designs in the 1930s. Benito Mussolini 's Fascist regime was keen to avenge the military defeats Italy had suffered to Ethiopia in the First Italo-Abyssinian War , and to efface the failed attempt by "liberal" Italy to conquer the country, as epitomised by the defeat at Adwa . A conquest of Ethiopia could also empower

10804-543: The door with the savages!", and the offending journalists were removed from the hall. After the hall was cleared, Haile Selassie responded "majestically" with a speech considered by some among the most stirring of the 20th century, and a possible warning for future generations. Although fluent in French, the League's working language, Haile Selassie chose to deliver his speech in his native Amharic . He asserted that Italy

10950-524: The drought years 2015/16 and it was only the Gilgel Gibe III powerplant, that in 2016 just started to run in trial service on a 14 km well-filled reservoir, that saved the economy of Ethiopia. The GERD reservoir, once it has been filled, has a total water volume of 74 km , 3 times the volume of Ethiopia's largest lake, Lake Tana . Filling it takes 5–15 years and even by using all generating units at maximum capacity will not drain it within

11096-552: The early 1930s. In 1924, Ras Tafari toured Europe and the Middle East visiting Jerusalem , Alexandria , Paris, Luxembourg, Brussels, Amsterdam , Stockholm, London, Geneva , Gibraltar and Athens . With him on his tour was a group that included Ras Seyum Mangasha of western Tigray Province ; Ras Hailu Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam province; Ras Mulugeta Yeggazu of Illubabor Province ; Ras Makonnen Endelkachew ; and Blattengeta Heruy Welde Selassie . The primary goal of

11242-446: The electrical and storage parameters. Originally, in 2011, the hydropower plant was to receive 15 generating units with 350 MW nameplate capacity each, resulting in a total installed capacity of 5,250 MW with an expected power generation of 15,128 GWh per year. Its planned generation capacity was later increased to 6,000 MW, through 16 generating units with 375 MW nominal capacity each. The expected power generation

11388-512: The electricity from the dam would require the construction of massive transmission lines to major consumption centers such as Sudan's capital Khartoum , located more than 400 km away from the dam. These export sales would come on top of electricity that is expected to be sold from other large hydropower plants. Powerplants that have been readied or are under construction in Ethiopia, such as Gilgel Gibe III or Koysha , whose exports (if given surplus energy) will mainly be going to Kenya through

11534-554: The entire 84 km (68,000,000 acre⋅ft) annual flow of the Nile. After the IPoE made its recommendations, in 2013, the dam parameters were changed to account for higher flow volumes in case of extreme floods: a main dam height of 155 m (509 ft), an increase of 10 m (33 ft), with a length of 1,780 m (5,840 ft) (no change) and a dam volume of 10.2 million cubic metres (360 × 10 ^  cu ft), an increase of 100,000 m (3,500,000 cu ft). The outlet parameters did not change, only

11680-741: The equivalent of a royal duke . In 1928, Empress Zewditu planned on granting him the throne of Shewa; however, at the last moment opposition from certain provincial rulers caused a change and his title Negus or "King" was conferred without geographical qualification or definition. On 2 November 1930, after the death of Empress Zewditu, Tafari was crowned Negusa Nagast , literally "King of Kings", rendered in English as "Emperor". Upon his ascension, he took as his regnal name Haile Selassie I. Haile means in Ge'ez "Power of" and Selassie means trinity —therefore Haile Selassie roughly translates to "Power of

11826-469: The first to go into operation with 750 MW delivered to the national power grid, the first turbine was commissioned in February 2022 and the second one in August 2022. The two units sit within the 10 unit powerhouse to the right side of the dam. They are fed by two special intakes within the dam structure located at a height of 540 m (1,770 ft) above sea level. The power generation started at

11972-399: The first year filling was 4.9 billion m³, while the dam has capacity to hold 74 billion m³ when completed. The first phase of filling the reservoir began in July 2020, to a maximum depth of 70 metres (230 ft) utilising a temporary sill. Further construction work was necessary before the reservoir could be filled to a level required for electricity generation. Subsequently, it

12118-411: The full supply level. An ungated spillway, the auxiliary spillway, sits in the centre of the main dam with an open width of about 225 m (738 ft) and a design discharge of 2,800 m /s (99,000 cu ft/s). This spillway has a base-level at 640 m (2,100 ft), which is exactly the full supply level of the reservoir. The dam crest is 15 m (49 ft) higher on both sides of

12264-533: The generated power is delivered to the national grid. Four 500 kV main power transmission lines were completed in August 2017, all going to Holeta and then with several 400 kV lines to the metropolitan area of Addis Ababa . Two 400 kV lines run from the dam to the Beles Hydroelectric Power Plant . Also planned are 500 kV high-voltage direct current lines. Two non-upgraded turbine-generators with 375 MW were

12410-443: The government pledged to use only domestic production. In March 2012, Salini awarded the Italian firm Tratos Cavi SPA a contract to supply low and high voltage cable for the dam. Alstom provided the eight Francis turbines for the project's first phase, at a cost of €250 million. As of April 2013, nearly 32 percent of the project was complete, with site excavation and some concrete placement underway. One concrete batch plant

12556-406: The ground, who were armed and paid by the Italians. Many of the Ethiopian military were obsolete compared to the invading Italian forces, possessing mostly untrained and non-modern rifles and weaponry. Haile Selassie made a solitary pilgrimage to the churches at Lalibela , at considerable risk of capture, before returning to his capital. After a stormy session of the council of state, it

12702-402: The height of the dam is a dead height for the reservoir, leading to a dead storage volume of the reservoir of 14.8 km (12,000,000 acre⋅ft). The project has three spillways , the primary used approximately 18,000 cubic meters of concrete. These spillways together are designed for up to 30,200 m /s (1,070,000 cu ft/s), the probable maximum flood event. All waters from

12848-473: The illness as someone fairly "prone to" the effects of disease throughout his life. He secured Ethiopia's admission to the League of Nations in 1923 by promising to eradicate slavery; each emperor since Tewodros II had issued proclamations to halt slavery , but without effect: the internationally scorned practice persisted well into Haile Selassie's reign with an estimated 2 million slaves in Ethiopia in

12994-521: The initial filling process of the reservoir. The space below the "bottom" outlets is the primary buffer space for alluvium through siltation and sedimentation . For the Roseires Reservoir just downstream from the GERD site, the average siltation and sedimentation volume (without GERD in place) amounts to around 0.035 km (28,000 acre⋅ft) per year. Due to the large size of the GERD reservoir, its siltation and sedimentation volume

13140-426: The institution's first chairman. By the early 1960s, many prominent African socialists , such as Kwame Nkrumah , Ahmed Sékou Touré , and Ahmed Ben Bella , envisioned the creation of a " United States of Africa " to rival the similar concept of a federal Europe . The rhetoric of this faction, especially in light of the then-ongoing Cold War , was overwhelmingly anti-Western , and Haile Selassie saw this as

13286-719: The main dam was planned to have a height of 45 m (148 ft) meters, a length of 4,800 m (15,700 ft) and a volume of 15 million m³. In 2013, an Independent Panel of Experts (IPoE) assessed the dam and its technological parameters. At that time, the reservoir sizes were changed already. The size of the reservoir at full supply level went up to 1,874 km (724 sq mi), an increase of 194 km (75 sq mi). The storage volume at full supply level had increased to 74 km (60,000,000 acre⋅ft), an increase of 7 km (1.7 cu mi). These numbers did not change after 2013. The storage volume of 74 km (60,000,000 acre⋅ft) represents nearly

13432-445: The main dam, the ground level, is at an elevation of about 500 m (1,600 ft) above sea level , corresponding roughly to the level of the river bed of the Blue Nile. Counting from the ground level, the main gravity dam is 155 m (509 ft) tall, 1,780 m (5,840 ft) long and composed of roller-compacted concrete . The crest of the dam is at an elevation of 655 m (2,149 ft) above sea level. The outlets of

13578-483: The matter. Iyasu was the designated but uncrowned emperor of Ethiopia from 1913 to 1916. Iyasu's reputation for scandalous behavior and a disrespectful attitude towards the nobles at the court of his grandfather, Menelik II, damaged his reputation. Iyasu's flirtation with Islam was considered treasonous among the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian leadership of the empire. On 27 September 1916, Iyasu

13724-482: The most death-dealing weapons", he contended that the aggression threatened all small states, and that all small states were in effect reduced to vassal states in the absence of collective action. He admonished the League that "God and history will remember your judgment." At the beginning of 1936, Time named Haile Selassie "Man of the Year" for 1935, and his June 1936 speech made him an icon for anti-fascists around

13870-547: The people are in a position to elect themselves." The constitution limited succession to the throne to descendants of Haile Selassie, which had the effect of placing other dynastic princes at the time (including the princes of Tigrai , and even the Emperor's loyal cousin Ras Kassa Haile Darge ) outside of the line for the throne. In 1932, the Sultanate of Jimma was formally absorbed into Ethiopia following

14016-409: The province of Sidamo . It is alleged that during his late teens, Haile Selassie was married to Woizero Altayech, and that from this union, his daughter Princess Romanework was born. Following the death of his brother Yelma in 1907, the governorate of Harar was left vacant, and its administration was left to Menelik's loyal general, Dejazmach Balcha Safo . Balcha Safo's administration of Harar

14162-441: The provincial governors. Nonetheless, her authority weakened while Tafari's power increased, she focused on praying and fasting and much less in her official duties which allowed Tafari to later have greater influence than even the Empress. During his Regency, the new Crown Prince developed the policy of cautious modernisation initiated by Menelik II. Also, during this time, he survived the 1918 flu pandemic , having come down with

14308-413: The rainy season. Targeting near peak or peak flow rate makes no economic sense." In 2017, the total installed capacity was moved to 6,450 MW, without changing the number and nameplate capacity of the generating units (which then remained at 6,000 MW in total). This was thought to arrive from enhancements made to the generators. The expected power generation per annum went up to 16,153 GWh,

14454-412: The reservoir for a few weeks. A month later, on 21 July, Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed , announced that the first phase of filling the reservoir had been completed. The early filling was attributed to heavy rains. In his statement, Abiy stated that "We have successfully completed the first dam filling without bothering and hurting anyone else. Now the dam is overflowing downstream". The target for

14600-444: The reservoir for early generation was completed on 20 July 2020. Two "bottom" outlets at 542 m (1,778 ft) above sea level or 42 m (138 ft) above the local river bed level are available for delivering water to Sudan and Egypt under special circumstances, in particular for irrigation purposes downstream, if the level of the reservoir falls below the minimum operating level of 590 m (1,940 ft) but also during

14746-422: The rock basement, with the potential to cause a sliding process downstream. The panel didn't argue that a catastrophic dam failure with a release of dozens of cubic kilometres of water would be possible, probable or even likely, but did argue that the safety factor with respect to avoiding such a catastrophic failure might be non-optimal in the case of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. It was later revealed that

14892-519: The saddle dam is at an elevation of about 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level. The surface is concrete to keep the interior dry. The saddle dam is just 3.3–3.5 km (2–2 mi) away from the border with Sudan, much closer to the border than the main dam. The reservoir behind both dams has a storage capacity of 74 km (60,000,000 acre⋅ft) and a surface area of 1,874 km (724 sq mi) when at full supply level of 640 m (2,100 ft) above sea level. The full supply level

15038-538: The site in October 2009 and August 2010. In November 2010, a design for the dam was submitted by James Kelston. On 31 March 2011, a day after the project was made public, a US$ 4.8 billion contract was awarded without competitive bidding to Italian company Salini Impregilo , and the dam's foundation stone was laid on 2 April 2011 by the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi . A rock-crushing plant

15184-399: The situation. Ethiopia denies that the dam will have a negative impact on downstream water flows and contends that the dam will, in fact, increase water flows to Egypt by reducing evaporation on Lake Nasser . Ethiopia has accused Egypt of being unreasonable; In October 2019, Egypt stated that talks with Sudan and Ethiopia over the operation of a $ 4 billion hydropower dam that Ethiopia

15330-413: The size of flood events and the constructive response against them, was later addressed by the contractor. The emergency spillway located near the rock saddle dam saw an increase of the rim length from 300 m to 1,200 m to account even for the largest possible flood of the river. The second main recommendation of the panel however found no immediate resolution. This second recommendation dealt with

15476-550: The son of the tenth-century BCE King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba . To Ethiopians, Haile Selassie has been known by many names, including Janhoy ("His Majesty") Talaqu Meri ("Great Leader") and Abba Tekel ("Father of Tekel", his horse name ). The Rastafari movement employs many of these appellations, also referring to him as Jah , Jah Jah , Jah Rastafari, and HIM (the abbreviation of "His Imperial Majesty"). Tafari's royal line (through his paternal grandmother) descended from

15622-585: The spillway. This ungated spillway is only expected to be used when the reservoir is both full and the flow exceeds 14,700 m /s (520,000 cu ft/s), a flow value projected to be exceeded once every ten years. A third spillway, an emergency spillway, is located to the right of the curved saddle dam, with a base level at 642 m (2,106 ft). This emergency spillway has an open distance about 1,200 m (3,900 ft) along its rim. This third spillway will discharge water if river flow exceeds 18,000 m /s (640,000 cu ft/s), corresponding to

15768-437: The structural integrity of the dam in context with the underlying rock basement as to avoid the danger of a sliding dam due to an unstable basement. It was argued by the panel that the original structural investigations considered only a generic rock mass without taking special conditions like faults and sliding planes in the rock basement ( gneiss ) into account. The panel noted that there was indeed an exposed sliding plane in

15914-432: The support of the police, remained with Tafari. Ultimately, the Empress relented, and, on 7 October 1928, she crowned Tafari as Negus ( Amharic : "King"). The crowning of Tafari as King was controversial. He occupied the same territory as the Empress rather than going off to a regional kingdom of the empire. Two monarchs, even with one being the vassal and the other the emperor (in this case empress), had never ruled from

16060-402: The theft of a 1,600-year-old imperial obelisk, and condemned the atrocities suffered by the Ethiopian civilian population. He continued to plead for League intervention and to voice his certainty that "God's judgment will eventually visit the weak and the mighty alike", though his attempts to gain support for the struggle against Italy were largely unsuccessful until Italy entered World War II on

16206-432: The three spillways will discharge into the Blue Nile before the river enters Sudanese territory. The main gated spillway is located to the left of the main dam and is controlled by six floodgates with a design discharge of 14,700 m /s (520,000 cu ft/s) in total. The spillway is 84 m (276 ft) wide at the outflow gates. The base level of the spillway sill is at 624.9 m (2,050 ft), well below

16352-691: The trip to Europe was for Ethiopia to gain access to the sea. In Paris, Tafari was to find out from the French Foreign Ministry ( Quai d'Orsay ) that this goal would not be realised. However, failing this, he and his retinue inspected schools, hospitals, factories, and churches. Although patterning many reforms after European models, Tafari remained wary of European pressure. To guard against economic imperialism , Tafari required that all enterprises have at least partial local ownership. Of his modernisation campaign, he remarked, "We need European progress only because we are surrounded by it. That

16498-480: The two powerhouses are below the ground level, therefore the total height of the dam 185 m (607 ft) is slightly higher than the given height of the dam. The structural volume of the dam is 10,400,000 m (13,600,000 cu yd). The main dam is 14 km (9 mi) from the border with Sudan. Supporting the main dam and reservoir is a curved and 4.9 km (3 mi) long and 50 m (164 ft) high rock-filled saddle dam . The ground level of

16644-403: The underlying basement of the dam was completely different from all expectations and did not fit the geological studies as the needed excavation works exposed the underlying gneiss. The engineering works then had to be adjusted, with digging and excavating deeper than originally planned, which took extra time and capacity and also required more concrete. Originally, in 2011, the hydropower plant

16790-552: The village of Um Iddla. The standard of the Lion of Judah was raised again. Two days later, he and a force of Ethiopian patriots joined with Gideon Force , which was already in Ethiopia and preparing the way. Italy was defeated by combined forces of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth of Nations , Free France , Free Belgium , and Ethiopian partisans . On 5 May 1941, Haile Selassie entered Addis Ababa and personally addressed

16936-554: The world. Among those in attendance were the Duke of Gloucester (King George V's son), Marshal Louis Franchet d'Espèrey of France, and the Prince of Udine representing King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy . Special Ambassador Herman Murray Jacoby attended the coronation as the personal representative of U.S. president Herbert Hoover . Emissaries from Egypt, Turkey, Sweden, Belgium, and Japan were there. British author Evelyn Waugh

17082-527: The world. He failed, however, to get the diplomatic and matériel support he needed. The League agreed to only partial, ineffective sanctions on Italy, and Selassie was left without much-needed military equipment. Only six nations in 1937 did not recognise Italy's occupation: China, New Zealand, the Soviet Union, the Republic of Spain, Mexico and the United States. It is often said one of the many reasons

17228-609: Was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as the Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia ( Enderase ) under Empress Zewditu between 1916 and 1930. Widely considered to be a defining figure in modern Ethiopian history , he is accorded divine importance in Rastafari , a relatively new Abrahamic religion that emerged in the Colony of Jamaica in the 1930s. A few years before he began his reign over

17374-736: Was a popular place of pilgrimage for London's Rastafari community, until it was destroyed by protestors on 30 June 2020. Haile Selassie stayed at the Abbey Hotel in Malvern in the 1930s, and his granddaughters and daughters of court officials were educated at Clarendon School for Girls in North Malvern . During his time in Malvern, he attended services at Holy Trinity Church, in Link Top . A blue plaque commemorating his stay in Malvern

17520-443: Was agreed that because Addis Ababa could not be defended, the government would relocate to the southern town of Gore , and that in the interest of preserving the imperial house, Empress Menen Asfaw and the rest of the imperial family should immediately depart for French Somaliland , and from there continue on to Jerusalem . After further debate as to whether Haile Selassie should go to Gore or accompany his family into exile, it

17666-718: Was agreed that he should leave Ethiopia with his family and present the case of Ethiopia to the League of Nations at Geneva . The decision was not unanimous and several participants, including the nobleman Blatta Tekle Wolde Hawariat , strenuously objected to the idea of an Ethiopian monarch fleeing before an invading force. Haile Selassie appointed his cousin Ras Imru Haile Selassie as Prince Regent in his absence, departing with his family for French Somaliland on 2 May 1936. On 5 May, Marshal Pietro Badoglio led Italian troops into Addis Ababa, and Mussolini declared Ethiopia an Italian province. Victor Emanuel III

17812-430: Was also present, penning a contemporary report on the event, and American travel lecturer Burton Holmes shot the only known film footage of the event. One American newspaper report suggested that the celebration had incurred a cost in excess of $ 3,000,000. Many of those in attendance received lavish gifts; in one instance the Emperor, a Christian, even sent a gold-encased Bible to an American bishop who had not attended

17958-432: Was complete. The third filling of the GERD reservoir reached its conclusion on 12 August 2022, reaching a height of 600 metres (2,000 ft). As of April 2023, Ethiopia's Office of National Coordination announced that 90% of construction had been completed. Subsequently, the fourth filling was completed on 10 September 2023, with water levels reaching approximately 625 metres (2,051 ft). As of March 2024, preceding

18104-507: Was completed with another under construction. Diversion of the Blue Nile was completed on 28 May 2013 and marked by a ceremony the same day. In October 2019, the work was approximately 70% complete. As of March 2020, the steelworks reached 35% complete, civil works were 87% complete while electro-mechanical works were 17% complete, to attain overall 71% construction completed according to Belachew Kasa, Project Deputy Director. On 26 June 2020, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to delay filling

18250-426: Was constructed, along with a small air strip for fast transportation. The expectation was for the first two power-generation turbines to become operational after 44 months of construction, or early 2015. Egypt, located over 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi) downstream of the site, opposes the dam, which it believes will reduce the amount of water available from the Nile. Zenawi argued, based on an unnamed study, that

18396-427: Was crowned Le'ul-Ras and became known as Ras Tafari Makonnen listen . Ras is translated as "head" and is a rank of nobility equivalent to a duke , though it is often rendered in translation as "prince". Originally the title Le'ul , which means "Your Highness", was only ever used as a form of address; however, in 1916 the title Le'ul-Ras replaced the senior office of Ras Bitwoded and so became

18542-413: Was deposed. Contributing to the movement that deposed Iyasu were conservatives such as Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis , Menelik II's longtime Minister of War. The movement to depose Iyasu preferred Tafari, as he attracted support from both progressive and conservative factions. Ultimately, Iyasu was deposed on the grounds of conversion to Islam. In his place, the daughter of Menelik II (the aunt of Iyasu)

18688-458: Was employing chemical weapons on military and civilian targets alike. He pointed out that the same European states that found in Ethiopia's favor at the League of Nations were refusing Ethiopia credit and matériel while aiding Italy. Noting that his own "small people of 12 million inhabitants, without arms, without resources" could never withstand an attack by a large power such as Italy, with its 42 million people and "unlimited quantities of

18834-686: Was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950, and annexed Eritrea as one of Ethiopia's provinces , while also fighting to prevent Eritrean secession . As an internationalist , Selassie led Ethiopia's accession to the United Nations as a charter member. In 1963, he presided over the formation of the Organisation of African Unity , the precursor of the African Union , and served as

18980-421: Was estimated at 15,692 GWh per year. In 2017, the design was again changed to add another 450 MW for a total of 6,450 MW, with a planned power generation of 161,530 GWh per year. That was achieved by upgrading 14 of the 16 generating units from 375 MW to 400 MW without changing the nominal capacity. According to a senior Ethiopian official, on 17 October 2019, the power generation capacity of

19126-718: Was highly symbolic, since the Solomonic Dynasty claimed descent from the House of David . Leaving the Holy Land , Haile Selassie and his entourage sailed aboard the British cruiser HMS Capetown for Gibraltar , where he stayed at the Rock Hotel . From Gibraltar, the exiles were transferred to an ordinary liner. By doing this, the United Kingdom government was spared the expense of a state reception. On 12 May 1936,

19272-523: Was ineffective, and so during the last illness of Menelik II, and the brief reign of Empress Taytu Betul , Tafari was made governor of Harar in 1910 or 1911. On 3 August 1911, Tafari married Menen Asfaw of Ambassel , niece of the heir to the throne Lij Iyasu . Menen Asfaw was 22 years old while Tafari was 19 years of age. Menen had already married two previous noblemen, while Tafari had one previous wife and one child. The marriage between Menen Asfaw and Haile Selassie lasted for 50 years. Although possibly

19418-541: Was known as the " Christmas Offensive ". During this offensive, the Italians were forced back in places and put on the defensive. In early 1936, the First Battle of Tembien stopped the progress of the Ethiopian offensive and the Italians were ready to continue their offensive. Following the defeat and destruction of the northern Ethiopian armies at the Battle of Amba Aradam , the Second Battle of Tembien , and

19564-554: Was met by forces loyal to Negus Tafari and was defeated at the Battle of Anchem . Gugsa Welle was killed in action . News of Gugsa Welle's defeat and death had hardly spread through Addis Ababa when the Empress died suddenly on 2 April 1930. Although it was long rumored that the Empress was poisoned upon her husband's defeat, or alternately that she died from shock upon hearing of the death of her estranged yet beloved husband, it has since been documented that Zewditu succumbed to paratyphoid fever and complications from diabetes after

19710-469: Was named Empress Zewditu , while Tafari was elevated to the rank of Ras and was made heir apparent and Crown Prince . In the power arrangement that followed, Tafari accepted the role of Regent Plenipotentiary ( Balemulu 'Inderase ) and became the de facto ruler of the Ethiopian Empire ( Mangista Ityop'p'ya ). Zewditu would govern while Tafari would administer. While Iyasu had been deposed on 27 September 1916, on 8 October he managed to escape into

19856-607: Was particularly troublesome. The revenues he remitted to the central government did not reflect the accrued profits and Tafari recalled him to Addis Ababa. The old man came in high dudgeon and, insultingly, with a large army. The Dejazmatch paid homage to Empress Zewditu, but snubbed Tafari. On 18 February, while Balcha Safo and his personal bodyguard were in Addis Ababa, Tafari had Ras Kassa Haile Darge buy off Balcha Safo's army, and arranged to have him replaced as Shum of Sidamo Province by Birru Wolde Gabriel – who himself

20002-530: Was proclaimed as the new Emperor of Ethiopia . On the previous day, the Ethiopian exiles had left French Somaliland aboard the British cruiser HMS Enterprise . They were bound for Jerusalem in the British Mandate of Palestine , where the Ethiopian imperial family maintained a residence. The family disembarked at Haifa and then went on to Jerusalem. Once there, Haile Selassie and his retinue prepared to make their case at Geneva. The choice of Jerusalem

20148-434: Was replaced by Desta Damtew . Even so, the gesture of Balcha Safo empowered Empress Zewditu politically and she attempted to have Tafari tried for treason . He was tried for his benevolent dealings with Italy including a 20-year peace accord that was signed on 2 August. In September, a group of palace reactionaries including some courtiers of the Empress made a final bid to get rid of Tafari . The attempted coup d'état

20294-414: Was reported that it would take between 4 and 7 years to fill with water, depending on hydrologic conditions during the filling period. The second phase of filling of the GERD reservoir was completed on 19 July 2021, with estimates of reaching the level of 573 metres (1,880 ft) (a.m.s.l) and retaining no more than 4.5 km (1.1 cu mi) at this stage. At this time, the volume of water at

20440-446: Was still "semi-feudal", and the Emperor's attempts to alter its social and economic form by reforming its modes of taxation met with resistance from the nobility and clergy, which were eager to resume their privileges in the post-war era. Where Haile Selassie actually did succeed in effecting new land taxes, the burdens were often still passed by the landowners onto the peasants. Between 1941 and 1959, Haile Selassie worked to establish

20586-587: Was taken into captivity with her children, and she died in Italy in 1941. His daughter Tsehai died during childbirth shortly after the restoration in 1942. After his return to Ethiopia, Haile Selassie donated Fairfield House to the city of Bath as a residence for the aged. In 2019, two blue plaques commemorating his residence at Fairfield and his visits to nearby Weston-super-Mare were unveiled by his grandson. British forces, which consisted primarily of Ethiopian-backed African and South African colonial troops under

20732-427: Was taken into custody by Gugsa Araya Selassie . On 11 February 1917, the coronation for Zewditu took place. She pledged to rule justly through her regent, Tafari. While Tafari was the more visible of the two, Zewditu was not simply an honorary ruler, but she did have some political restraints due to the complicated nature of her position compared to other Ethiopian monarchs, one was that it required that she arbitrate

20878-418: Was to manage its finances, defense, and foreign policy. Despite his centralisation policies that had been made before World War II, Haile Selassie still found himself unable to push for all the programmes he wanted. In 1942, he attempted to institute a progressive tax scheme, but this failed due to opposition from the nobility, and only a flat tax was passed; in 1951, he agreed to reduce this as well. Ethiopia

21024-498: Was to receive 15 generating units with 350 MW nameplate capacity each, resulting in a total installed capacity of 5,250 MW with an expected power generation of 15,128 GWh per annum. The capacity factor of the planned hydropower plant – the expected electricity production divided by the potential production if the power plant was utilised permanently at full capacity – was only 32.9% compared to 45–60% for other, smaller hydropower plants in Ethiopia. Critics concluded that

21170-483: Was tragic in its origins and comic in its end. When confronted by Tafari and a company of his troops, the ringleaders of the coup took refuge on the palace grounds in Menelik's mausoleum. Tafari and his men surrounded them, only to be surrounded themselves by the personal guard of Zewditu. More of Tafari's khaki clad soldiers arrived and decided the outcome in his favor with superiority of arms. Popular support, as well as

21316-456: Was unveiled on Saturday, 25 June 2011. As part of the ceremony, a delegation from the Rastafari movement gave a short address and a drum recital. Haile Selassie's activity in this period was focused on countering Italian propaganda as to the Ethiopian resistance and the legality of the occupation. He spoke out against the desecration of houses of worship and historical artifacts, including

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