Addis Ababa Highlights have made this report: The National event in Ethiopia was celebrated in the premises of the Nile Centre at Lamberet, Addis Ababa. The regional commemoration started in 2007 in Kigali in Rwanda while the 2008 event was in Addis Ababa. A children’s choir from Assay School animated this year’s national celebration in Addis Ababa, singing about the benefits of the Nile River, its cultural and aesthetic values and how it unifies the riparian states.
Ten countries share the Nile River system: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The river basin has sustained great civilizations and settlements with complex socioeconomic and continues to be a great source of economic and social assets to about 300 million people. It offers high opportunities for poverty reduction and sustainable development through options like hydropower generation, water supply for irrigation and human consumption, flood damage reduction, drought mitigation, watershed management, water conservation and navigation. In spite of theses benefits, natural disasters, conflicts and population pressure have hindered full utilization of the river basin for sustainable and equitable socioeconomic development.
The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) was established ten years ago. Its stated aim is pursuing cooperative development on the basis of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, mutual benefit and good faith, in order to attain optimal utilization, adequate protection and conservation of the River Nile Basin.
Thus the primary objectives of the NBI are given as:
• To develop the water resources of the Nile Basin in a sustainable and equitable way to ensure prosperity, security and peace for all its peoples
• To ensure efficient water management and optimal use of the resources
• To ensure cooperation and joint action between the riparian countries, seeking win-win gains
• To target poverty eradication and promote economic integration
• To ensure that the program results in a move from planning to action and Shared Vision Program
(SVP), SVP coordination, SVP basin wide engagement, dialogue, exchange of experience, developing common strategic and analytical frameworks and strengthening institutional as well as human capacity.
During the past ten years the initiative has managed to:
• Form a Nile Basin Dialogue Forum to serve as a means of information exchange on issues of common concern as well as broadening networks of stakeholders.
• Build institutional and human resource capacities by implementing pilot projects, providing training opportunities with emphasis on efficient use of water.
• Increase public awareness about enhanced interaction among government bodies and all stakeholders in the NBI process.
• Undertake institutional framework model for power trade ,review of environmental impact assessment frameworks, development and establishment of a power sector data bank as well the preliminary basin wide study thereby securing a bright energy future.
• Contribute to poverty alleviation, economic growth and trans-boundary cooperation
• Commence the process of establishing a permanent
Nile River Basin Organization. This will promote integrated management, sustainable development and harmonious utilization of water resources as well as their conservation and protection for the benefit of present and future generations.
In spite of challenges and constraints it is facing NBI is currently working to increase its financial sources, building institutional capacity, strengthen cooperation, and build trust in the region.