Schoolboys and girls, local leaders, youth and women from Ndorwa West County, representatives of the Nile Media Network Chapters from the nine countries of the Nile Basin, civil society represented by the Nile Basin Discourse, representative of the Development Partners as well as staff of the Nile Basin Initiative took part in the Regional Nile Day celebrations.  The event was organized in conjunction with the Kabale District Local Government in southwestern Uganda.

The theme for the Nile Day celebrations this year is “Nurturing 10 Years of Cooperation and Progress”.  Regional celebrations took place in the Kamuganguzi Sub-County, Kabale District, Uganda.

A feature of the day was the colorful procession led by Honorable Maria Mutagamba, Uganda’s Minister of Water and Environment and NBI Executive Henriette Ndombe.  A football match between Kigezi High School and Brainstorm High School was organized at the Kabale Stadium, the commissioning of Katuna Water Supply System constructed by the NBI-Kagera River Basin Management and a series of balls were other aspects of the celebrations.

 

Nile Day marks the day on 22 February 1999 when the Nile Basin Initiative was conceived and agreed upon by the Council of Ministers in charge of Water Affairs of the Nile Basin Countries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Nile Day is a time to celebrate not only the achievements that cooperation has yielded, but also provides the opportunity to discuss issues of importance to the Nile Basin countries and challenges in developing our countries and the region as a whole.  It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the glories of the rich and varied culture which exists in the River Nile Basin region, in addition to providing an opportunity to come together and the learn more about the Rive Nile Basin.