Project Complexity in the GERD Dam Project: A PPMP20014 Analysis

This report examines the structural complexities of the GERD dam project, focusing on the challenges faced during its implementation. It analyzes the dominance of structural complexity, as indicated by a provided graph, and references project management standards. The report highlights the importance of effective project management plans to mitigate complexities, particularly in large-scale projects like the GERD dam. It discusses the project's impact on water resources, including the concerns of neighboring countries like Egypt, and the resulting disagreements and negotiations. The analysis also touches upon the economic and environmental implications of the project, and the role of expert investigations in ensuring sustainable water management. The report concludes by emphasizing the project's overall success in supplying water and the representation of inflow rates in a graph.

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Question 5
Reproduction of the graph and explanation of the comlexity dominating the GERD dam
project.
Based on the project management standards it is possible to determine the various complexities
experienced when putting down a project. The procedures to be followed in developing a tool
which can be used in determining complexity are also shown in this study. According to the
graph, I suggest that structural complexity is dominating in the GERD dam project. From the
graph, it can be seen that structural complexity is almost a constant factor from the beginning as
time goes by. Therfore with regard to the approach proposed by Institute of Project Management

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which puts much emphasis on structural complexities experienced during project implementation
as a result identifying structural complexity as major force within the graph.
This approach uses the uncertain methods and objectives which are aimed at achieving the
organizational goals through certain factors of complexity. It is therefore the role of the project
management team to determine the various stages in the structure of the project which will be
important in attaining project goals within the required timeframe. In addition, it is the role of the
project management to guide the whole project team when there complexities within the project
(Abbink, 2018).failure to implement an effective project management plan may result in
complexities within the project. This was always a challenge especially when putting down the
GERD dam project.
Initially, the structural plan of the GERD dam project was to supply water for both domestic use
and for purposes of generating electricity. However, neighboring countries bordering Ethiopia
have had their own reservations on some of the ideas the GERD project was trying to put across
(Allam et al, 2019). GERD dam project is structurally a big project; It means therefore that a lot
of water is required from River Nile to make this dam efficient. Egypt in particular have had
reservations because they believe this project will limit the amount of water supply from Nile
river which has previously been important for them in terms of domestic use and generation of
electricity. There have been disagreements between the two nations, with third party
organizations even being involved to settle disagreements.
GERD dam project being structurally a big project, means Ethiopia have grown economically
influential in most parts of the north East Africa. This was initially being enjoyed by Egypt, who
have been made economically weak with the GERD dam project being one of the factors

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meaning they (Egypt) are no longer required to supply water initially done through Aswan dam.
It is even believed that Egypt would dare declare war if the feel the guard dam project is a threat
to the water supply they have previously been getting accessed to back in the years. This has
become one the factors of structural complexities contributed to by this project (Gashaw, 2015).
experts from countries neighboring Ethiopia have credited their environmental and hydrology
experts with carrying out investigations to determine whether the GERD dam project is
potentially dangerous towards the downstream flow of water to those countries. Negotiations
between those countries have also been initiated with an aim of providing a collective solution
which will ensure that GERD dam project is never a threat towards the supply of water to the
neighboring countries.
GERD project has generally been successful in supplying water to the people of Ethiopia and
other neighboring countries. The following is structural representation of inflow rates in a graph.

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Figure: Estimated inflow rates of water in Ethiopia through GERD dam.

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References.
Abbink, J. (2018). Losing the Plot: Environmental Problems and Livelihood Strife in Developing
Rural Ethiopia—Suri Agropastoralism Vs. State Resource Use. In The Environmental Crunch in
Africa (pp. 137-178). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Allam, M. M., & Eltahir, E. A. (2019). Water-Energy-Food Nexus Sustainability in the Upper
Blue Nile (UBN) Basin. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 7, 5.
Gashaw, Asegdew. "Water Resource System Modeling of Eastern Nile River Basin." PhD diss.,
Addis Ababa University, 2015.