Off the wire
• China Focus: Burgeoning innovation powers Chinese economic growth  • Nigeria enters mop-up phase in fight against Boko Haram: military chief  • 1st LD Writethru: Greece recalls ambassador in Austria over refugee crisis  • Government employees on strike in Hamas-run Gaza  • Africa calls for new investments to expand access to water  • Greece recalls ambassador in Austria over refugee crisis  • Kenyan army denies 180 of its soldiers were killed by Al-Shabaab  • Feature: Ankle-tags on drinkers cuts alcohol-fuelled crime in London  • German consumer climate predicted to improve slightly in March  • Beijing plans more subways, roads to ease congestion  
You are here: 　 Home

Nile states hasten implementation of joint projects

Xinhua, February 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Countries that share the expansive and resource rich Nile basin have accelerated implementation of joint projects in agriculture, energy, fisheries and navigation, a senior official said on Thursday

John Nyaoro, the Executive Director of Nile Basin Initiative(NBI), told journalists in Nairobi that implementation of joint projects along the world's second largest river will promote economic growth, cross border trade and peaceful co-existence.

"We have already rolled out bankable projects in diverse areas like agriculture, food production, fisheries and environmental protection to promote economic development in this region," Nyaoro said on the sidelines of the Africa Water Congress.

The ten member states of Nile Basin Initiative have prioritized dialogue to promote equitable sharing of transboundary fresh water resources.

Nyaoro revealed the Nile Basin Initiative has 30 bankable projects worth 6 billion U.S. dollars that were at different stages of implementation.

"We have ongoing projects like power interconnection, irrigation, development of dams and early warning systems," said Nyaoro, adding that multilateral donors have funded the bulk of development projects in the Nile basin.

The Nile Basin States have adhered to international law to promote equitable sharing of water resources to help alleviate poverty, hunger, energy deficit and communicable diseases.

Nyaoro said the establishment of a cooperative framework agreement (CFA) has strengthened sustainable utilization of Nile waters.

"Nile basin countries have developed sound policies and legislation to promote sustainable utilization of shared water basins to avert future conflicts," Nyaoro said.

He added that Nile states have developed technical capacity to promote sound exploitation of transboundary waters.

"There is a solid mechanism in place to ensure that development of projects along the Nile basin does not cause ecological and social harm," Nyaoro told reporters.

He revealed there is a political commitment from Nile basin states to fast-track the signing of a new treaty to replace the outdated 1929 accord that gave downstream countries unilateral powers to exploit Nile resources.

Nile member states are banking on joint projects like irrigation and power generation to promote industrialization and regional trade.

Gladys Wekesa, the Director of water resources in Kenya's Ministry of Water and Irrigation, said Nile basin states have endorsed joint projects that address negative impacts of climate change. Endit