Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene 2014 Sept - Oct Vol. 9 No.5 | Page 18

Water & Energy

Dams will not solve all Africa’s energy problems
By Rudo Sanyanga

A surge of water signals that Pres. Jacob Zuma has opened the control valves during
the opening ceremony of the De Hoop Dam, near Steelpoort in Limpopo in March.

T

he world’s water experts convene in Stockholm on
Thursday where King Carl Gustav will present the
city’s Water Prize to John Briscoe, a Harvard professor
and former water manager at the World Bank. After many
years spent in the international water bureaucracy, Briscoe
says he is “controversial and proud of it”. Indeed, the
jury’s choice raises contentious questions about how best
to manage water resources for the shared benefit of all.
Since the turn of the century, Briscoe has been the world’s
pre-eminent crusader for large dams in Africa and other
continents. In the 20th century, Europe developed about
80% of its hydropower potential, while Africa has still
exploited only 8% of its own.
It would be hypocritical, Briscoe contends, to withhold
funds for more dam building in Africa now.
Africa has tried to follow Europe’s path to industrial
development before. With funding and advice from the