4 th Rosenberg Biennial International Forum on Water Policy.

1. 4th Rosenberg Biennial International Forum on Water Policy. Transboundary Water Cooperation The Nile Basin Case by Hon. Martha Karua Minister for Water Resources Management and Development,Kenya &Nile-COM Chair.

2. Burundi • D.R. Congo • Egypt • Eritrea • Ethiopia • Kenya • Rwanda • Sudan • Tanzania • Uganda 1.The Nile Basin • Challenges • History • Poverty • Demography (600m in 2025) • degradation • Climatic Vulnerability • Economics-nothing flows.

3. Economies of Nile Countries Source: UN Human Development Report 2004

4. Nile Basin Countries - Europe: Electricity/HP comparison

5. 2. Nile Cooperation. • Nile holds significant opportunities for cooperative development • Growing awareness at political and technical levels • Riparian states recognise benefits to gain from cooperation • Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)), 9 countries and Eritrea (established in 1999) • Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) developed a shared vision • Multi track approach dealing with a strategic plan and developing cooperative legal and institutional framework acceptable to all • Transitional institutional arrangement

6. The Shared Vision “To achieve sustainable socio-economic development through equitable utilization of, and benefit from, the common Nile Basin water resources.”

7. Council of Ministers - Nile-COM Technical Advisory Committee - Nile-TAC NBI Secretariat - Nile-SEC NBI Structure

8. 3. Areas of cooperation Broad spectrum of areas of cooperation exist: • Strategic Action Program to realise the vision • Shared vision (BASIN-WIDE) • Subsidiary Action Plan (SUB-BASIN) • Cooperation with International Community • International Consortium for Cooperation on the Nile (ICCON) • Development of legal and institutional framework acceptable to all

9. 4. Confidence Building and Stakeholder\ involvement • Strong political support from basin countries • Ministerial and parliamentarians • Journalists, civil society and others • Participation at heart of Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) process • Cross sectoral and participatory approach • Stakeholder participation focusing on : • Communication and Public information • Confidence building • Exchange of knowledge and information

10. 5. Benefits of Cooperation Four kinds: • Benefits to the river-Ecosystem…. • Benefits from the river-use,power.. • Benefits that arise from reduced transaction cost-cooperative dev,inf. • Benefits beyond the river-spinoffs, econ.integration,…

11. 6. Partnership and Financing • Countries finance core secretariat functions, support in form of partnerships • Financing mechanisms that involve soliciting funds through forum called ICCOM • First ICCON meeting held in Geneva in 2001 • Nile Basin Trust Fund (preferred mechanism) • Funding Gaps for Shared Vision Program and partnership grants and soft loans needed for subsidiary investment projects

12. 8. Way Forward • Scaling – up of investment programs for tangible benefits to riparian states and communities, • Strengthening,sustaining and broadening the cooperation, • Successful implementation of initial portfolio of projects to demonstrate results and benefits

13. Conclusion • Nile Basin Countries see cooperation and Co-operative action,where appropriate, as the best option aiming at Win-Win projects and benefits, • Cooperation is growing among countries with Nile waters as entry for broader and greater benefits including economic integration, • Donor support encouraging and more support needed-buying into the NBI Shared Vision, • Infrastructure investment funding challenging- Public financing most viable for the basin supported by partnership Grants/Trust Funds,and Soft/concessionary loans as private sector not attracted

14. Thank you www.nilebasin.org