Karim, going by the overview, Kaleta dam causes less disruption and negative impact on the environment than Sambangalou. Also Kaleta comes on the heels of another dam off of the Kourountou river around Dubreka (Forest Region of La-Guinea). In both cases, ecology lost is permanent. However, regeneration efforts can compensate for some of the loss. Both dams will result in the displacement of communities and agricultural land. Those must be weighed as against the benefits and the affected communities properly compensated and relocated. A floods management regime will have to be put in place for both monitoring and mitigation.
You will recognize that among the two, the Kaleta dam should be less of a concern to Gambia and Senegal than the Sambangalou river as far as saline intrusion is concerned. Kaleta dam is the most benign as to manufacturing conflict in the region and further, both projects, Kaleta and Sambangalou are OMVG graced projects. I am not sure where matters coordinated within the framework of OMVG can affect garden variety crimes of the leaders of these member countries. Besides, leaders in each country come and go, except for leaders who have greater ambition for permanence.
I will continue reading to see if I can glean genesis of discord. I want to emphasize that this is an ADB study. ADB saw an opportunity for investment (perhaps based on earlier studies by the UN agencies responsible). ADB then undertook additional technical and capital outlay studies to justify investment. If I was a bank looking to invest in an opportunity, I will expend funds to justify that investment. If I find out it is worth investing in, and all of a sudden China comes along and beats me on the deal (China also undertook similar cost-benefit and engineering studies you know), I'll be mad as hell. I will (well I wont but some other folk have no such compunction) unleash a torrent of dis-information and alarmist minstrels on China and Alpha Conde'. Amplifying any and all conflicts along the way. Even those regarding the attempted assassination of Alpha Conde'.
I will continue to read now.
Haruna.
-----Original Message-----
From: Haruna Darbo <
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To: GAMBIA-L <
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Sent: Tue, Sep 13, 2011 1:39 pm
Subject: [G_L] ADB: The Kaleta dam project within the context of OMVG. Haruna.
Karim, I had read this several years ago and I encourage you to read it again with me.
Bear in mind this ADB effort is SUPPLEMENTAL to earlier and continuous UN efforts in cross-border hydrology. However this is ADB's point of view. ADB is a private concern (Bank) which has individual as well as national shareholders the last time I checked. Perhaps Yus is one of the shareholders. I know I am.
Here is the link. Join me while I review it again. There has been some minimal updating so perhaps there is new info that I was not privy to. I share with you that Norway and The Netherlands are also key partners of the UN in the assistance they render for hydrologic matters of developing nations.
http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Environmental-and-Social-Assessments/30744628-EN-OMVG-ENERGY-ESIA-SUMMARY.PDF
Thank you. We can discuss some of your concerns later.
Haruna.
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