Dr. Yacob Arsano is a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Addis Ababa University. He holds a PhD in hydro-politics from the University of Zurich. A former member of Ethiopia's GERD negotiation team, he has received international awards for his work on transboundary waters.Dr. Yacob Arsano holds a PhD in Political Science with a specialization in hydro-politics from the University of Zurich, Switzerland (2004). He also earned two Master’s degrees one in international affairs (African Studies) and another in comparative politics from Ohio University, USA, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from Addis Ababa University.He has held several senior academic administrative positions, including Dean of the College of Social Sciences, Director and Editor-in-Chief of Addis Ababa University Press, and Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Addis Ababa University. He has served as a member of the Senate, Management Council, and numerous university-level committees. Currently, he is a Board member and Vice Chairman of Bahir Dar University and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ethiopian Catholic University.Dr. Arsano has authored numerous journal articles, books, and book chapters. He has received several international and national awards, including from Philipps University in Germany and the BEGO SEW Special Award for outstanding research, teaching, and negotiations on transboundary waters in Northeastern Africa.He has served as a member of Ethiopian negotiation teams for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Declaration of Principles (DoP), the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), and Joint Multipurpose Projects (JMP). He also served as national-level committee Chairman for the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment of the Ghibe III Dam Project.Presently, he teaches and leads PhD and MA level seminars on topics including water governance and hydro-diplomacy, as well as geopolitics and regional security in Northeastern Africa and the Middle East.
#Theme “Hydro Power, Nuclear Energy, and Sea Access for Regional Development in the Horn of Africa: Experiences, Challenges, and Opportunities”