Advancing effective and inclusive cooperation in the Nile basin

^{Maria Vink chating with Nile-TAC member from Egypt, Eng. Ahmed Bahaa El-Din and the Executive Director of the NBI John Nyaroro.
Photo: Elizabeth Odetta, NBI}

Earlier this week, SIWI’s Maria Vink and Ana Cascao facilitated a strategic dialogue on water cooperation between Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and development partners in Kisumu, Kenya.

Representatives from the Nile countries and development partners engaged in a dialogue on the main challenges and opportunities regarding the promotion of effective cooperation that includes all basin states. During the meeting several participants emphasised that “cooperation is not an option, it’s a necessity!”

Delivered through the UNDP Shared Waters Partnership at SIWI (SWP), Maria and Ana facilitated a constructive dialogue around some of the most critical challenges affecting cooperation over water in the Nile basin. They also helped to ensure the relevancy of the agenda and facilitate meaningful and constructive dialogues between development partners, such as the World Bank, and NBI.

The strategic dialogue aims to contribute to a joint understanding among development partners and Nile basin states of the challenges and opportunities facing effective and inclusive cooperation. It should be seen as one step in a longer process of supporting more effective and inclusive cooperation in the Nile basin.

The countries involved in the strategic dialogue included Burundi, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.