Tegenu Gossa Aredo (PhD) is a distinguished Ethiopian Pre-Historic Archaeologist, and is currently a guest researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology. Tegenu, who prefers to be acknowledged as an African archaeologist, specializes in Early Acheulian stone-tool technology, with a particular focus on the significant Melka Wakena site in Ethiopia’s highlands.
As a project leader at Hebrew University, Tegenu’s extensive research at the Melka Wakena site involved meticulous excavation and analysis of Acheulian lithics, providing profound insights into Early Stone Age tools and hominin behavior in challenging Ethiopian highland environments.
Tegenu completed his doctoral studies at Hebrew University in 2020, with his doctoral research titled ‘The Acheulian lithic technology of the MelkaWakena site, Southcentral Ethiopia.’ His PhD involved excavating and analyzing Early Stone Age tools and hominin behavior in high-altitude Ethiopian contexts.
He also earned his Bachelor’s degree in Ethiopian History from Haramaya University in 2004, followed by a Master’s degree in Archaeology from Addis Ababa University in 2012.
As an Assistant Professor of Archaeology and a lecturer in the History and Heritage Management department at Arba Minch University, he has significantly advanced the understanding of early human technological capabilities through various research projects.
Among other publications including: ‘The emergence of large flake-based Acheulian technology: perspective from the highland site-complex of Melka Wakena, Ethiopia’ published in 2024, he also co-authored studies published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences and PLOS ONE between 2024 to 2025, which demonstrate how early human toolmakers exhibited remarkable foresight and planning by making strategic decisions in raw material selection.
In an interview with The Reporter‘s Abraham Tekle, Tegenu discussed a range of critical topics, including Ethiopia’s archaeological heritage and its benefits, the Green Legacy Initiative, the significance of the GERD, and the potential impact of natural gas production on Ethiopia’s economy and its neighbouring countries. EXCERPTS:
The Reporter: Ethiopia is an archaeological hotspot. Could you elaborate on the comprehensive benefits of past finds, particularly in terms of their contributions to the nation’s economy, tourism sector, youth employment opportunities, and overall societal development?
Tegenu Gossa Aredo (PhD): Ethiopia holds one of the most significant positions globally in the field of paleosciences—a broad scientific discipline encompassing subfields such as archaeology, paleontology, paleoanthropology, paleobotany, and paleoenvironmental studies. These sub-disciplines collectively allow researchers to reconstruct the deep past, particularly the origins and evolutionary pathways of humankind. With discoveries dating back nearly six million years, Ethiopia provides one of the most continuous and comprehensive records of early human history. Key sites across the Afar Rift, the Lower Omo Valley, the Central Ethiopian Rift, and even on lake islands yield fossil and artifact evidence that contribute to understanding the origin and evolution of humanity.
Ethiopia provides a wealth of information and records related to the origin of humanity in general. And it’s an unparalleled record. I’ll give you just one example. Out of the key findings related to human origin, there are about 20 recognized species that describe human origin. Thirteen of them are from Ethiopia. And this shows you the unparalleled record that Ethiopia is contributing. Ethiopia, in telling and in reconstructing the entire history of humanity, the origin of humanity, has a very long record, and its contribution is immense.
So, if we do have this rich record, the next question is: how are we going to use it for the benefit of the country, in terms of promoting our record itself for tourism— which, by default, will be connected with the economy of the country. The more tourists we have, the more economic benefit we will get. This is an area where we are supposed to work hard. So far, there are some efforts. Now we have the Ministry of Tourism, which is directly related to this topic and promoting Ethiopian tourism in this sector, especially in the paleosciences. But we need to gear up, we need to hasten, and integrate all these records we have with the other attraction sites already existing in the country.
If you ask me where the corridors of Ethiopian tourism exist, I can tell you two directions. One is the northern route, where we have tourists coming from abroad, and also locals. That includes historical places— the churches, including Lalibela, Axum, and other ancient churches. The second is the southern route, where we have records related to ethnography— different ethnic groups and their lifestyle. These are the two major corridors of tourism in Ethiopia until now. But the paleosciences and the records we have can be the third and major area of attraction to develop. We need to integrate this with already existing attractions, whether natural or historical, to benefit well. But it requires a lot of work and sensitivity in integration.
As you know, the government is working extensively in developing infrastructure— building more connectivity, destination sites, and lodges— exactly where these attractions are. So, if we integrate these infrastructures with the paleoscience records and the discovery sites, we can benefit a lot. But we need to work more, and this is an area where we need to incite.
Based on your research and findings in the field of agroecology, what specific actions and collaborations do you envision from key stakeholders, including the government and local communities, to effectively implement these findings and maximize their benefits?
Let me give you one example of how this integration can be harnessed. This is how we can tell the government and provide direction to any concerned party working in this area. So far, when we talk about paleoscience, we focus on individual discoveries or the places they came from. For example, when we talk about Lucy, Selam, Ardi, and other discoveries of Homo sapiens—we discuss them individually. UNESCO has recognized and enlisted two paleoscience sites in Ethiopia because of their contribution to understanding human evolution and by being attraction sites. One is the Middle Awash in Afar, and the second is the South Omo site. These are listed due to their importance in the study of human evolutions.
But one thing is missing, and this is where I want to emphasize. Let’s shift the subject slightly. Let’s look at where these discoveries are generally coming from. The majority of the sites that have led to these heritage discoveries are located in drainage basins. One example is the Awash River basin. The Awash originates from the Ginchi area, about 100 kilometers west of Addis Ababa. It begins very close to where the Dandi and Wanchi eco-lodges are built. Imagine if we connect the Wanchi- Dandi project and all the natural attractions around it with the infrastructure already built there, and integrate that with the origin of the Awash River. Why? Because this river harbors nearly six million years of human history. The Awash basin contains records tracing back that far. So, the river itself becomes a destination. If we present it properly, people from around the world would want to visit the river along its course.
We can begin by linking the infrastructure already built at its origin—since, as I mentioned, the source is very close to these sites. Then, traveling a little southwest from there, you reach the Melka-Kunture site, which is an archaeological site situated right along the upper course of the Awash River. Following that, for 50 to 70 kilometers, there are additional sites like Tiya and Adadi Mariam, all aligned along the Awash. These can be visited sequentially, forming a connected heritage and tourism route along the river’s path.
Here you also have another natural site to be visited—Awash National Park. If you go further down the river, tourists can visit it. Next to Awash, in Metahara, there is already a large and well-developed lodge built on Beseka Lake. Then there’s Awash National Park, and if you continue further, there’s Alatish National Park, where you also find natural wonders. This can be connected to the sites where the major discoveries happened in Afar—where Lucy, Ardi, Selam, and others came from.
And if you go further downstream along the Awash River, you’ll reach natural attractions like Dallol and Erta Ale. By following the route of the Awash, you can create a tourist package that includes all these sites which could be completed within a week or two. Imagine selling this package with guides interpreting all this information, tourists will visit the full span of six million years of human history, along with natural wonders. This is how the concerned bodies need to integrate and work on further.
Since it launched in 2019, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is entering a new phase, with multiple targets as it naturally touches on various targets of the 2030 Agenda and contributes to the food security initiative. How does this ecological transformation align with natural preservation, climate-resilient livelihoods, and food sustainability?
The initiative of Green Legacy is an amazing project and a great vision. It’s a matter of big national interest. For example, when we talk about food self-sufficiency, we’re talking about transforming our agriculture. So far, our economy depends on rain-fed agriculture, which is seasonal. We’ve had limitations in this kind of farming since the beginning of our statehood. Now the government has come up with a plan: we have to transform our agriculture, and we need to start cultivating our lowlands if we want to feed ourselves and ensure food self-sufficiency.
To cultivate the vast lowland areas in different parts of the country, we need water, because this will be irrigation-based agriculture, with mechanized, large-scale farms. For that, we need a continuous and sustainable supply of water. To guarantee this supply, we must protect and conserve the highlands, where our rivers originate. Due to degradation on Ethiopia’s highlands and mountain tops, we now face massive flash floods, and even our largest rivers have drastically reduced flow during the dry season. But if we rehabilitate these highlands and mountaintops through the Green Legacy, we will have better water volume and flow throughout the year. That will support our transformed, irrigated agriculture.
So, the Green Legacy is not just about planting trees or environmental rehabilitation. It’s directly related to the future of Ethiopian agriculture, our survival, and our food self-sufficiency. It’s about our future. It’s not just a fancy project or a slogan anymore.
And remember, we are dealing with two crises: one is local degradation, and the other is the global climate crisis. There isn’t much we can do about the global scale—carbon emissions, climate change, erratic weather patterns, and extreme events like wildfires in Europe, heatwaves, or what recently happened in Texas. So, nature is hitting back because of this global change.
But what we can do is act locally and act fast to rehabilitate our damaged environment. The degradation in Ethiopia has been ongoing since around the turn of the century, and our forest coverage has dropped to about three percent. So, it is the task of this generation and the next to restore the forests in Ethiopia’s highlands—not because we want to change the global climate, but because this is directly tied to our future and our food sources.
Considering your expertise as an Ethiopian scholar and researcher, how do you view the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance (GERD’s) significance? What does this project symbolize for you personally?
The GERD is a project of a massive scale of significance, and to be honest, I sometimes become too emotional about it. As an individual and as an Ethiopian, we grew up with a sense of grievance—that the Nile River does not benefit Ethiopia, as it just flows, causing erosion on our land and islands, and we always asked: When can we do something for the Blue Nile?
The fact that we managed to build this massive dam, with the potential to generate over 5,000 megawatts of energy—one of the biggest in the world today—is unprecedented. It fills me with immense pride as a citizen of Ethiopia.
On a national scale, it carries huge economic implications. It will also serve as a diplomatic tool, especially within Africa, as we start supplying energy to neighboring countries. This project will help Ethiopia garner support for future projects, whether related to energy or other sectors and the neighboring countries will benefit significantly from the energy supply. In today’s world, if you want to transform your economy, if you want to industrialize, you need reliable energy. Even in agriculture—especially irrigation—you need energy to power irrigation canals and pumping systems.
Energy supply is directly tied to all key economic sectors: industry, services, and agriculture. This project will propel Ethiopia’s economy forward and also help uplift regional economies. Ethiopia is already supplying energy as far as Tanzania, and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation has plans to reach as far as South Africa. So, these are significant contributions—whether in terms of the economy, diplomatic influence, or the broader transformation of the Ethiopian nation.
As the GERD nears completion and its inauguration approaches, what strategic roadmap should Ethiopia implement to ensure the surrounding ecosystem flourishes as a transformative hub for eco-tourism, biodiversity restoration, rural economic empowerment, and equitable resource utilization?
The reality is simple. For anyone who has concerns, whether near or far, this is a hydropower dam. The water held behind the dam is used to generate electricity, and then it continues to flow. It’s not a dam built for agriculture—we’re not diverting or consuming the water. It flows back, so the impact is minimal for downstream countries. This has already been proven during the past five years of discussions and negotiations.
For Ethiopia, the entire landscape around the river will change because of the massive lake created by the dam. This will result in the formation of many islands, which can be transformed into tourism centers. Here, we’re also talking about a major tourist destination. There’s also huge potential for the fishing industry. The Nile River, or Abay, is one of the most famous rivers in the world, known historically for giving rise to some of the earliest civilizations. So, having a large lake on both sides of this iconic river—extending 200 kilometers or more—creates an opportunity of global tourist appeal.
In terms of the Ethiopian economy, once the dam becomes fully operational, energy exports alone could generate over USD one billion annually. This is a major economic addition.
But more importantly, the completion of this project will serve as inspiration for the country to embark on similar projects on even bigger scales. It is a national achievement. The unity of the Ethiopian people, from all sectors of society, who contributed, supported, and donated, is something everyone should be proud of, even though after so much struggle, this near-completion is a huge national milestone.
Upon its completion, how do you anticipate the dam will be perceived and valued by both neighboring countries and those further afield?
I’m sure there are countries who will take this as an inspiration and embark on mega projects of their own. We see that positively and respond in kind—probably even congratulate those countries and hope they take a lesson from it. There are also countries—especially downstream countries—who have been dragging their feet and will likely continue to challenge us. The only thing we can do is show them, as we have in the past 5–6 years, that this project poses no significant danger to them.
On the contrary, this project can actually benefit them. They can buy energy from us—from this same river—and benefit a lot. Whether it’s Sudan or Egypt, I believe, despite the staunch foreign policy they hold on the Nile—which is more related to their internal politics—they will, behind closed doors, eventually come and request energy. Because this is promising, and as I said earlier, energy is the soul of survival today which is also massively essential for existence.
Given the recent seismic activity in Afar, a highly active part of the East African Rift System, what insights can geological experts provide regarding the future seismic and volcanic activity in this area and the wider Horn of Africa?
The Ethiopian Rift, in general—not just specific areas like Awash and Fentale, but the entire rift basin—cuts the country into two halves, running from northeast to southwest. It is considered an unstable region due to its geological nature and formation. At any time, seismic activity or underground lava movement can occur. In fact, this recently happened in the Fentale area, where underground movement occurred, though it did not erupt—though it still might erupt.
Even closer to Addis Ababa, the lakes in Bishoftu—the southern lakes—are caldera lakes, which are actually mouths of ancient volcanoes. This means that as recently in the last 100,000 years, there were a series of volcanic eruptions in the area, as much of Ethiopia lies within this rift system.
In such a region of active geological drift, we need to be cautious—especially in terms of infrastructure and building design. When constructing multi-storey buildings, seismic sensitivity must be taken into account. It’s a constant natural risk, and there’s not much we can do to stop it, as it is always going to be there and there is nothing that we can do as well.
So, what we can do is: raise awareness about the risks, install seismic sensors, monitor subsurface activity regularly, and create a systematic mechanism for tracking and documenting underground movements. To this and in many parts of Ethiopia, especially those very close to active zones, the design of new buildings must consider seismic activity to ensure safety.
What types of volcanic eruptions are anticipated in the future, and what is your overarching assessment of these unfolding geological events?
The thing about volcanic activity is that, by its very nature, there is no way to predict when subsurface movement will happen. It occurs randomly, and even at the global level, science has not yet developed a method to accurately predict when or how it will occur. We’ve seen this globally—eruptions happen without warning, and when they do, they can be massive and highly destructive. Even in Ethiopia’s Rift Basin and nearby areas, the eruptions so far haven’t been large, but worldwide, such events can be devastating.
There is no scientific mechanism today that allows us to predict the timing or scale of these eruptions. The best we can do is to establish monitoring systems—set up seismic sensors to detect underground movement, record patterns, and observe any signs of change. But there is no mechanism yet that can tell when it will happen or how it will happen. That’s the unfortunate reality.
Major eruptions are happening around the world, especially along continental fault lines—from China to Morocco, along the zone separating the Asian and Arabian plates. In places like the Indian subcontinent, such geological activity has caused massive destruction. Because of this uncertainty, we need to be very careful in terms of: What we build in these regions, how we design infrastructure, and ensuring we have response mechanisms in place when such movements occur. We must also develop a system of public awareness, especially for people living in high-risk areas, to ensure they are informed and prepared. That’s the only viable course of action we have.
Does Ethiopia have the capacity to respond to a serious natural disaster? In terms of institutional capacity, resources, manpower, and preparation?
I don’t think we’ve built adequate preparedness. If, God forbid, a major eruption occurs in Ethiopia, it would be a disaster—and all we can do is hope it never happens. However, the positive aspect is that, so far, we don’t have congested settlements in many of the vulnerable areas along the Rift, especially near the rivers. However, there are growing towns like Adama, Awash, Arba Minch, and Hosana, which are located within the Rift system.
But, as construction increases in these regions, there needs to be stricter design control. Because if a major eruption occurs anywhere along this long stretch of land, the current lack of adequate response mechanisms means we are not ready to contain or manage the damage. Municipal administrations in these cities—including Samara, Shashamane, and Hawassa—must pay attention. These are all growing urban centers within the Rift system. The point is clear: we need to be cautious of the movement.
What is your professional assessment of the government’s recent announcement regarding the commencement of natural gas production for both domestic and international markets? Given the ongoing seismic and volcanic activity in Ethiopia’s Afar region, what potential impacts could these geological events have on the country’s natural gas resources?
Regarding the gas fields that have been discovered, most of them—such as those in the Ogaden region and Gambella—are outside the Rift system and not located in seismically sensitive zones. That’s an advantage. The Ogaden region, in particular, is not prone to seismic activity, unlike the Rift system, which runs elsewhere across the country. There might be some potential gas or petroleum reserves within the Rift, especially near Afar, where in past explorations there were indications of gas emissions on the surface, especially along the escarpment running from Wollo into Afar. However, this area needs further exploration to assess the real potential.
But the main gas fields, where potential has already been studied—Ogaden and Gambella—are far from the Rift system, and they are outside areas with a recorded history of seismic or volcanic activity. That, in itself, is a significant advantage.
Considering both the GERD and the potential commencement of natural gas production, what is your overarching reflection on their combined impact on Ethiopia’s economic growth, overall development trajectory, and political stability?
The GERD is going to add massively to the Ethiopian economy and the gas fields have massive potential and are expected to significantly contribute. Once exploration is complete, followed by infrastructure development and the start of gas exports, this could also extend to petroleum exports. The impact will be substantial, especially in terms of providing the hard currency needed for infrastructure and economic transformation.
However, caution is essential. In many African countries, the discovery of gas and petroleum has led to instability and conflict. Therefore, Ethiopia must put in place strong mechanisms to ensure that the benefits are equitably shared—starting from the local communities where the gas fields are located and extending to the national level. A well-structured policy must guide how the revenue is allocated among all stakeholders.
Drawing lessons from places like Nigeria’s Niger Delta, where lack of equitable benefit-sharing has led to unrest, Ethiopia must avoid similar pitfalls. The government and the operating companies must develop a clear, inclusive revenue-sharing formula to prevent grievances that could disrupt development. So, it requires this kind of approach, and I’m sure a system is already in place. So, it requires this kind of stuff and I’m sure this thing is in place, and Ethiopia has vast experience of governance related to managing this kind of resource, and I’m not really worried about it.
