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4th Rosenberg Biennial International Forum on Water Policy.

Transboundary Water Cooperation

The Nile Basin Case

byHon. Martha Karua

Minister for Water Resources Management and Development,Kenya &Nile-COM Chair.

Burundi D.R.

Congo Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia

KenyaRwandaSudanTanzaniaUganda

Challenges History Poverty Demography (600m in 2025)degradation

Climatic VulnerabilityEconomics-nothing flows.

1.The Nile Basin

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Source: UN Human Development Report 2004

Country Land Area /1,000 Km2

Population 2002/Million

GNP/Cap./US$

Access to Electricity/%

Burundi 28 6.6 102 2

DR Congo 2,350 51.2 111 1-6

Egypt 1,000 70.5 1354 98

Ethiopia 1,222 69.0 90 10

Kenya 583 31.5 393 9

Rwanda 26 8.3 212 2

Sudan 2,506 32.9 412 15

Tanzania 945 36.3 267 10

Uganda 241 25.0 236 5

Economies of Nile Countries

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Nile Basin Countries - Europe: Electricity/HP comparison

Popul. Mill.

GNP/cap $

HP pot. MW

HP dev. MW

Elec./cap kWh/yr

CO2 em. ton/c/yr

Ethiopia 61 105 45,000 700 22 0.00

Kenya 29 361 1,600 700 106 0.05

Rwanda 8 241 100 27 26 0.00

Tanzania 33 267 3,200 557 56 0.01

Uganda 22 298 2,800 278 38 0.00

Austria 8 23,333 18,300 11,700 6,457 1.51

France 59 22,128 26,000 25,200 6,539 4.32

Germany 82 22,430 8,000 5,600 5,963 4.50

Italy 58 18,808 22,800 15,267 4,732 2.98

Norway 5 36,889 47,200 27,873 24,422 3.23

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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

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The Shared Vision

“To achieve sustainable socio-economic development

through equitable utilization of, and benefit from,

the common Nile Basin water resources.”

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NBI Structure

Technical Advisory Committee - Nile-TAC

Council of Ministers - Nile-COM

NBI Secretariat - Nile-SEC

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3. Areas of cooperation

Broad spectrum of areas of cooperation exist:

Strategic Action Program to realise the visionShared 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

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4. Confidence Building and Stakeholder\ involvement

Strong political support from basin countriesMinisterial 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 informationConfidence buildingExchange of knowledge and information

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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,…

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6. Partnership and Financing

Countries finance core secretariat functions, support in form of partnerships

Financing mechanisms that involve soliciting funds through forum called ICCOMFirst ICCON meeting held in Geneva in 2001Nile Basin Trust Fund (preferred mechanism)

Funding Gaps for Shared Vision Program and partnership grants and soft loans needed for subsidiary investment projects

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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

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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

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Thank you

www.nilebasin.org