The 7th annual Development Partners (Nile Basin Trust Fund -NBTF C) meeting ended in Entebbe with members commending the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) for moving from planning to actual investments. Members also noted the increased country commitment towards the investments.

In his opening statement, the chairperson of the Nile Council of Ministers (NILE-COM) who is also Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Nasr El-Din Allam, provided an overview of the outcome of the extra-ordinary NILE-COM meeting held on 13 April 2010 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt. He also noted the positive impact of NBI and its improving image both within the region and worldwide. “The NBI is mentioned in several arenas as a model for regional cooperation and integration”, H.E. Allam added. He thanked the Development Partners for their continued support and excellent technical guidance to NBI.

NBTF C meetings as an “important forum not only for providing funding but generating debate on very important issues for the development of the Nile Basin”.

Earlier, Ms. Barbara Miller of the Worldbank said “this annual meeting offers the opportunity to look both retrospectively -- back over the last year at the accomplishments and challenges of the NBI – as well as prospectively – looking forward to the future and the work that remains to be done”. She observed that looking backwards, despite the challenges and uncertainties of this year, the work of the NBI has continued unabated. 

The two day meeting from 28th to 29th April discussed NBI institutional development with specific reference to evolving Nile cooperation, update on the NBI activities for the last six months, institutional directions as well the budget. The meeting was also briefed about the successful completion of the Shared Vision Program (SVP) and celebrations to mark NBI’s 10th anniversary and SVP show case event.

The second day of the meeting was dedicated to discussions on advancing investments, with presentations from NBI’s two investment programs, the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP) and the Eastern Nile Subsidiary Action Program (ENSAP) as well as resource mobilization.

The 7th NBTF C annual meeting included representatives from Canada, Denmark, the European Commission, Finland, France, the Netherlands, the Nile Basin Initiative, Norway , Sweden , the United Kingdom and the Worldbank as members while African Development Bank, Germany, UNDP and USA participated as observers.

Prior to the 7th annual NBTF C meeting, members of the Nile Technical Advisory Committee (NILE-TAC) a body which provides technical guidance and direction to NBI, held their 30th meeting on 26th April 2009, also at Entebbe, Uganda.

In his opening statement, the Chairperson of the NILE-TAC, Dr. Abdel Fattah Metawie noted that the SVP had achieved its objectives by building capacity and a firm foundation for investment to take place on the ground.

Responding to a call made earlier by the Executive Director, Ms. Henriette Ndombe in her welcome remarks, Dr. Metawie expressed hope that NBI member states that have not yet signed the MoU with NBI would do so as soon as possible, so as to facilitate implementation of NBI programs within these countries. The meeting was informed that Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan are yet to sign the MoU while Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have already signed.

Mr. J B Collier of the Worldbank spoke on behalf of the Development Partners during which he noted the accomplishments in the institutional arrangements and enhanced collective ownership of the NBI, which he said reflects the maturity of the institution.