Nile Basin Initiative, French Development Agency Ink 400,000 EUR Grant Agreement - ENA English
Nile Basin Initiative, French Development Agency Ink 400,000 EUR Grant Agreement
Addis Ababa March 11/2019 Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and Agence Française de Development (AFD) have signed 400,000 Euros grant agreement aimed at capacity development of NBI’s activities today.
AFD Regional Director for Eastern Africa, Christian Yoka, and NBI Secretariat Executive Director Innocent Ntabana signed the agreement, according to a press release sent to ENA.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Entebbe, Uganda, Yoka emphasized the need for cooperation and technical know-how in water resource management.
“The Nile waters are a powerful lever for the socio-economic development of more than 300 million people today and the risk of climate change and population growth continues to present challenges to the sustainable use and management of these waters,” he added.
The regional director pointed out that there is a need for greater cooperation and enhanced capacities in the field of water resource management in order to respond to rising challenges and demands.
Yoka appreciated France’s commitment to support a sustainable management of water resources of the Nile Basin Initiative and its member states, especially within the Nile Equatorial Lakes Region.
NBI Secretariat Executive Director Ntabana said: “The strengthening of the structures of the NBI and their sustainability is crucial for the maintenance of this framework of concerted dialogue.”
He added that the continuation of this cooperation is critical in a context where the pressure on natural resources may generate tensions between communities of the Nile neighboring countries.
This grant is provided through a River Basin organization in France, The Rhone Mediterranean Corsica Agency (AERMC), which has taken the initiative to support other like-minded river basin organizations technically and financially and share their knowledge through this platform.
It is to be recalled that one million Euro grant was provided in May 2015 in addition to the 400,000 Euros grant.