PRESS RELEASE

EAC AND NILE BASIN INITIATIVE SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 12th July 2006: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Juma Volter Mwapachu has commended the existing collaboration between the East African Community and the Nile Basin Initiative, saying “upgrading this collaboration into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will now facilitate co-operation between the EAC and NBI in regard to the efficient management and sustainable development of the Lake Victoria Basin and its natural resources”. “It will also play a big role in poverty reduction and environment protection with regard to the Lake Victoria Basin, as part of the larger River Nile Basin”, Ambassador Mwapachu stressed.

While signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the East African Community Secretariat and the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) on Wednesday 12th July 2006 at the EAC Headquarters, the Secretary General said “EAC supports the NBI’s shared vision of achieving sustainable socioeconomic development through the equitable utilization of, and benefit from the common Nile Basin water resources”.

Ambassador Juma Volter Mwapachu signed the MoU on behalf of the EAC, while the Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Nile Basin Initiative, Mr. Ndayizeye Audace, signed on behalf of the Nile Basin Initiative. Witnessing the signing of the MoU were: the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Projects and Programmes, Dr. Kipyego Cheluget, the Executive Director of Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Dr. Tom Okurut and his Deputy, Dr. Kapyas Kipkore; the Regional Coordinator of the Nile Basin Initiative, Mr. Antoine Sendama; the WWF Eastern Africa Regional Programme Office, Dr. Kwame Koranteng; Lake Victoria Environment Education Programme Officer, Ms Susan Matindi; and the WWF Fresh Water Programme Coordinator, Mr. Mohamed Awer.

According to the MoU, the co-operation between the EAC and NBI will be based on several initiatives to be conducted jointly, including the establishment of effective linkages and co-ordination between the EAC and relevant bodies charged with the management of Lake Victoria Basin, on one hand, and the NBI institutions principally the NBI Secretariat, the Nile Basin Initiative Technical Advisory Committee and the Nile Basin Council of Ministers, on the other. Also there will be joint preparation and execution of studies, and promotion and development of projects and programmes, particularly in the fields of conservation and sustainable development of the Lake Victoria basin and engaging in dialogue with a view to assisting in defining and implementing policies and strategies aimed at the conservation of the Lake Victoria basin ecosystem and arrest of environmental degradation, including taking measures for the prevention and control of the water hyacinth and other invasive weeds.

The EAC and NBI shall be jointly organizing and conducting research, conferences, symposia, seminars and other meetings related to the conservation and sustainable development of the Lake Victoria basin, as well as conducting joint training and research pertaining to the conservation and sustainable development of the Lake Victoria basin. The two parties will also establish synergy and common positions with regard to participation in international programmes and initiatives established for the efficient management and sustainable development of Lake Victoria basin; and they will exchange the necessary data on the conservation and sustainable management of the Lake Victoria basin.

Background

The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) was established by the Nile riparian countries in 1999 in order to serve their common interests. NBI represents an effort by the countries sharing the Nile Basin waters (DRC, Egypt, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, and Eritrea) to implement a shared vision of achieving sustainable socioeconomic development through the equitable utilization of, and benefit from the common Nile Basin water resources. Poverty reduction is one of the key objectives of the NBI.

Formally launched in February 1999 by the Council of Ministers of Water Affairs of the Nile Basin States, the Initiative provides a unique forum for the countries of the Nile to move forward a cooperative process to realize tangible benefits in the Basin and build a solid foundation of trust and confidence.

Apart from providing a platform for co-operation and building working relationships between the riparian countries, the NBI also provides an arrangement by which to move forward from discussion to action and implements the “Strategic Action Program".

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