ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The Nile Council of Ministers (NILE-COM) in charge of Water Affairs from the nine Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) member countries has successfully concluded its 18th ordinary meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The purpose of the two day (26-27 June) meeting organized under the theme: ‘Working together for a better future’ was to review progress of the activities of NBI and approve the work plan and budget for the fiscal year 2010/2011.  This is in addition to announcing changes in the positions of NILE-COM chair and Executive Director of the NBI Secretariat, respectively.

The 31st Nile Technical Advisory Committee meeting has officially opened today 24th June 2010 at the Hilton Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The purpose of the meeting organized under the theme: ‘Working together for a better future’ is to review the progress of implementation of activities of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and to approve the work plan and budget for the financial year 2010/2011

The Nile Basin States have today 14th of May 2010 opened the Agreement on the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework for signature for a period of one year until 13th May 2011.  The event took place at Lake Victoria Hotel - Entebbe, under the auspices of the Government of Uganda

H.E. Asfaw Dingamo, Minister of Water Resources of Ethiopia; Hon. Ambassador Stanislas Kamanzi, Minister of Lands and Water Management of Rwanda; Hon. Prof. Mark James Mwandosya, Minister of Water and Irrigation of Tanzania; and Hon. Isaac Isanga Musumba, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Regional Cooperation) of Uganda who signed the Agreement immediately after the opening, all described the ceremony as a land mark event.  

Her Royal Highness Princess Tsandzile, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy of Swaziland, graced the opening ceremony of the African Network of Basin Organizations at the Orion Piggs Peak Hotel in Mbabane, Swaziland.

“River Basins are crucial in any country’s economic development as they hold water reservoirs with multi-function such as domestic use and sanitation, irrigation for food production, industrial use, the generation of electricity and recreation to name a few.  The diversity of uses calls for an integrated and catchment/basin wide planning, development and management of water resources.  It is from that premise that Swaziland, the African continent and the world at large not only encourage but require a basin approach to water management,” HRM Princess Tsandzile told participants.  She concluded her remarks by saying that climate change is a force that threatens to reverse many achievements and slow future developments in many countries.  Africa is not exempt from the consequences of climate change and to be more specific, River Basins cannot escape the challenges of climate change.

 

Jointly organized by the African Network of Basin Organizations and the Swazi Komati Basin Water Authority, the two-day conference has brought together participants from Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Lake Tanganyika, International Commission of Congo-Oubangi-Shanga Basin (CICOS), Zambezi River Authority, and the Nile Basin Initiative.

The objective of the meeting is to deliberate and agree on practical strategies aiming at tackling climate change adverse effects in various River Basin Organizations in Africa.  The theme of the meeting is Strengthening our River Basin Organization for a Challenging Future.

The Nile Basin Initiative is represented by Ms. Henriette Ndombe and Mr. Daniel Massamba Meboya, Executive Director and Regional Communication Specialist respectively.