Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)
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Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat
P.O. Box 192
Entebbe, Uganda
Tel: 256 41 321424/321329
Fax: 256 41 320971
Email: nbisec@nilebasin.org
Hon. Odette Kayitesi, Chairperson Nile Council of Ministers
Description
The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) was launched in 1999 by the Council of Ministers of Water Affairs of the Nile Basin States , as a transitional arrangement preceding a permanent framework. Its shared vision is to achieve sustainable socio-economic development for equitable utilization and benefit from the common Nile Basin water resources. NBI’s mission is to provide an agreed basin-wide framework to fight poverty, promote economic development in the region and provide a unique forum for the countries of the Nile to foster cooperation, build trust and balance the interests of all the riparian states.
The Initiative was necessitated by the need for an international water agreement to mitigate the potential for water-induced conflict as a result of issues like water scarcity and degradation seen as a threat to local, national, regional and international stability. It is agreed that such potential conflict is likely to emerge when the downstream (most-vulnerable) nation is militarily superior to the upstream (water-controlling) nation and views its access to the Nile threatened. The Nile Treaties, which denied the upper riparian states user rights of the Nile without Egypt’s prior approval, have been rejected by independent states that consider the Nile their legitimate resource, too.
The threat of water scarcity and the resultant tensions show the link between the environment and national political interests. Any amendments in water resource usage that dramatically alters the development scenarios and consequently threatens peoples’ quality of life in any state is bound to stir up problems.
The Nile River, whose basin approximates 3million km and covers about 10 percent of Africa, comprises 9 states and has been a potential source of regional conflict for over a half a century. It is one of the world's longest rivers, navigating nearly 6,700 kilometers from its source in the south at the headwaters of the Kagera River in Burundi and Rwanda to its delta in Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea. Its distinct ecological system hosts high mountains, tropical forests, woodlands, lakes, savannas, wetlands, arid lands and deserts. The Nile has supported livelihoods, a rich ecosystem and influenced a rich diversity of cultures over the years. Its Basin supports an estimated 160 million people while an estimated 300 million live within the ten countries that share the Nile.
The governance structure of the Nile Basin Initiative reflects the government cooperation lines. The highest decision-making body is the Nile-COM. The Nile-COM is supported by the Nile-TAC comprising two senior officials from each member country. The NBI secretariat, (the Nile-SEC) is located in Entebbe, Uganda. It began operations in June 1999 and was officially launched on September 3, 1999. NBI enjoys diplomatic status in Uganda to enable it carry out its functions smoothly and effectively.
Track Record
In 1997, with support from UNDP, the Nile riparian states established a forum to facilitate legal and institutional dialogue in view of the potential risk of water related conflict; the need to focus on development in the Basin; and, agree on core legal principles. A panel of experts comprising three-person teams from each country produced a draft text of a ‘Cooperative Framework’ in early 2000 enabling the Riparian States make significant compromises on water resource-usage.
In a bid to develop practical-oriented initiatives, the NBI has developed a Strategic Action Program targeting two areas. Firstly, a Basin-wide project called the Shared Vision Program (SVP) which has strengthened cooperative action and has seven projects. Four of these are thematic in nature and address environmental management, power trade, efficient use of water for agriculture and water resource planning and management. The remaining three are facilitative in nature and support strengthening confidence-building and stakeholder involvement, applied training and socio-economic development and benefit-sharing.
The Subsidiary Action Program (SAP) aims at implementing actual development projects involving two or more countries at the sub-basin levels. SAP is a Cooperative Framework project that supports the Nile River Basin countries define an adequate and acceptable framework for cooperation for equitable and legitimate use of the Nile River Basin water resources. Two Subsidiary Action Programs have been developed consisting of the Eastern Nile (EN-SAP) which currently incorporates Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, and the Nile Equatorial Lakes Region (NEL-SAP) comprising the six countries in the southern portion of the Basin as well as the downstream riparian Sudan and Egypt. These subsidiary groups have identified joint investment opportunities which warrant further investigation and preparation.
Other important milestones of the NBI include adoption of the NBI Policy Guidelines and instruction by the Nile-COM to prepare a portfolio of priority SVP projects for the International Consortium for Cooperation on the Nile (ICCON). ICCON provides a unique forum for long-term partnership of Nile Basin countries and the international community through the Consultative Group (CG) which facilitates funding from bilateral and multilateral donors.
Since its establishment, the NBI has managed to mobilize over US$130 Million for various basin projects out of a budgeted US$150 Million. Of this total program cost, $14.4 million is governments' counterpart funding. Among some of the implemented projects is the US$18.6 million Applied Training Project (ATP). NBI has managed to attract substantial funding and a variety of partners. As a partnership led by the riparian states, it has involved the states in implementing its Programs.
The NBI has achieved much with the support of its various development partners which include the governments of Canada, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, Finland, Italy, France, United States of America and Germany. Multilateral donors include the World bank, European Union and African Development Bank including United Nations agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The latter is executing the Shared Vision Program Projects on behalf of the Nile Basin States.
Challenges
The peoples of the Nile Basin face considerable challenges even though the basin is endowed with many natural resources and a rich cultural history. These include poverty, instability, rapid population growth, environmental degradation and frequent natural disasters. Some of its countries are among the worlds’ poorest with annual per capita income of less than $250. Confronting these challenges requires heavy financial investment by riparian states and other interested parties. The biggest question is whether the NBI is equal to the challenge given its inadequate capacity and financial resources.
While the 'Cooperative Framework' developed by the Panel of Experts (POE) strengthened peace through compromises in water resource usage, several key cooperation issues are yet to be resolved. The Council of Ministers has agreed to extend time to seek agreement on outstanding issues and UNDP has pledged its continued support for the process. Genuine cooperation must be fostered to give more access to upper riparian states but this requires more time and effort.
Improving the welfare of the nearly 160 million people directly dependent on the Nile basin is no mean task. Even though the initiative managed to mobilize over US$130 Million for the various basin projects by 2005 this still fell short of the budget by US$20 Million. The Riparian governments need to increase their contributions towards the cost of programs directly falling in their sub-basins to more than US$14.4 million.
Opportunities
The population of the Nile Basin is expected to double within the next 25 years, placing additional strain on scarce water and other natural resources. Cooperative development of the River Nile's resources is necessary to maximize benefits. The development of win-win solutions will enhance energy availability, food production, transportation, industrial development, environmental conservation and other related development activities in the region.
Over the past 30 years, various sub-groups of the riparian countries have cooperated and the inclusion of all riparian states and other countries in joint dialogue over the Nile Basin resources opens new opportunities to strengthen economic and political regional cooperation and integration. As a partnership between the riparian states, the NBI needs to forge strong strategic alliances to advance development in the Basin. It also needs to evolve strong conflict resolution mechanisms to pre-empt threats to its programmatic momentum. The degree and parameters of intervention must be developed as early as possible.
Beyond the World Bank, other reputable organizations must be brought on board to mobilize funds. The mobilization of resources for the Nile basin development should transcend the narrow prism of the World Bank’s business interest in favour of a genuine desire to improve the welfare of millions along the basin. It is necessary to involve groups interested in the preservation of the distinctive ecological system of mountains, tropical forests, woodlands, lakes, savannas, wetlands, arid lands and deserts and diversity of cultures.
