The Nile Basin is facing a multitude of shared challenges which, like the Nile itself, span across national borders. These include increasing water variability, growing water demand and multiple impacts of climate change. In order to adequately respond to these challenges, countries must act together.
Water plays an integral part in achieving not only water security but also food and energy security, and in eradicating poverty for the people of the Nile Basin. The shared nature of the Nile’s water resources must be a key driver towards regional integration in countries’ efforts to achieving these goals.
Joint action and investments through joint institutions and dialogue platforms in the Nile Basin contribute to a culture of dialogue, trust and confidence and helps build strong partnerships within and outside the basin, thus must play a key role in maintaining peace and security in the Nile Basin.
In order to achieve sustainable development, Nile Basin States are working towards a basin management plan by 2022, which will ensure that the Nile waters can sustain its people, ecosystems and biodiversity. Joint management can and must occur at all levels, from grassroots to governments.
Through capacity building, policies, knowledge generation and exchange as well as development of scientific tools, NBI is supporting Member States and people of the Nile Basin to better manage their shared water resources. Countries must use the tools and knowledge to inform their decisions in water resources management and development.
“The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) is the only agreed upon mechanism of cooperation in the Nile
Basin. In 1999 we have agreed on a common vision and procedures for cooperation.
Sudan froze its activities in NBI in June 2010 during the Addis Ababa meeting but returned in
early 2012 based on the strong commitment of the country for cooperation and the benefits
accrued to Sudan by being part of the Nile Basin fraternity.”#MyNileStory
“I live in Addis Ababa but was born on the banks of the Blue Nile River. In 2015, I embarked on an adventure to this great river where my father once struggled with a crocodile while trading on the river. Starting from a place called Gumer, it took me 6hrs on foot to reach the banks of the Blue Nile River at Mabil, a site now identified for hydropower development. Women carried charcoal, men let their cattle graze, and I even swam in the river – local tour guides know the area well and crocodiles are not around where the water is very deep.”#MyNileStory
“My most unforgettable story with the NBI was being able to participate in the first time journalists from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia visited the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam together in August 2016.”#MyNileStory
“The Nile Basin Initiative is a very important institution, promoting equitable utilisation of the shared River Nile. What I also like is the culture of rotating the key positions of chairperson of the Nile Council of Ministers and that of the Nile Technical Advisory Committee as well as Executive Director of the NBI Secretariat; this too promotes cooperation among Member States. Also the joint investment projects enable interaction among the citizens of the different countries and at all levels. However, the non-ratification of the Cooperation Framework Agreement is affecting the success attained over the last 20 years. Establishment of the River Nile Basin Commission presents a good opportunity to the Nile Basin countries”.#MyNileStory
“I really appreciate the NBI’s efforts put into improving lives in all the countries of the Nile Basin, but
also deplore the persistence of difficult conditions for the survival of people. Mountains are still
bare, erosion remains high in vast areas, many river banks are still unprotected, soil acidity is often
high, and the list goes on. To me, there is no way to alleviate poverty and make lives better without
addressing such issues. We must change the game and act accordingly.”#MyNileStory
“At the technical level much has been accomplished in the last two decades, thanks to Basin States
and to our cooperating partners. Political will is what is required to move cooperation to a higher
level. I believe the will is somewhere there and the way can be found. And as the Late Mwalimu
Julius Kambarage Nyerere succinctly put it: ‘It can be done. Play your part’.”#MyNileStory