Inside our January to March newsletter: ▶️ZAMCOM tour: What they saw, what they said, what they took away ▶️First 90 Days: ED signs MoU, tours Embassies, Speaks on Panels ▶️World Water Day 2026: Interview with our Groundwater Specialist ▶️NBDF 8: From People to Climate to Investments chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/nilebasin.org/sites/default/…

#NileCooperation H.E. Calinie Mbarushimana, Chairperson of the Nile Council of Ministers and Burundi's Minister for Environment, Agriculture and Livestock ➡️emphasised that the NRBIP is a flagship programme designed to mobilise transformative investments that benefit all Nile Basin countries while safeguarding shared water assets ➡️noted that the Special Committee reflects collective ownership and strengthens cooperation, consensus-building, and trust among Member States ➡️highlighted the Committee’s role as a technical and diplomatic platform for open dialogue, evidence-based review, and addressing differing perspectives in a structured manner, ensuring transparency and confidence in the process ➡️outlined the core tasks of the meeting, including reviewing project intake processes, addressing outstanding concerns, verifying project readiness classifications, consolidating technical inputs, and assessing potential impacts on water quantity and quality ➡️stressed that the Committee is expected to develop clear, forward-looking recommendations to guide the Nile Council of Ministers in decision-making ➡️urged members to engage openly, respectfully, and in a solution-oriented spirit, noting that the outcomes of the meeting will be critical for building consensus, enabling resource mobilisation, and paving the way for the eventual implementation of priority investments across the Nile Basin. ➡️stressed that the Committee is expected to develop clear, forward-looking recommendations to guide the Nile Council of Ministers in decision-making on the investment portfolio. @MamaMabira @mugaa_eric

The meeting was @MamaMabira’s first assignment since her re-appointment as Minister of State for Environment by H.E. President Yoweri Museveni. She said: “Initiatives of this scale and importance naturally bring forward diverse perspectives and legitimate concerns from Member States. This is both expected and healthy in a cooperative framework such as ours. It is precisely for this reason that this Special Committee was established – under the guidance of the Nile Council of Ministers. We attach great importance to this process. The outcomes of your deliberations here will play a crucial role in shaping the future direction of the Nile River Basin Investment Programme and the broader cooperation within the Nile Basin Initiative. As the host country, we encourage all participants to approach these discussions in a spirit of ➡️Openness and mutual respect ➡️Constructive engagement ➡️Evidence-based dialogue ➡️A shared commitment to finding practical, forward-looking solutions.”

Kenya's Cabinet Secretary - Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation @mugaa_eric is attending the meeting in person. His strong remarks👇 “The credibility of our work will depend on our ability to ensure that all views are heard and given due consideration. In doing so, we will not only address the specific matters before us but also contribute to strengthening confidence in the regional mechanisms established by our 9 member states and reinforcing the spirit of Nile River Basin cooperation. Kenya remains firmly committed to the success of Nile River Basin cooperation and to the principles upon which the Nile Basin Initiative was founded. As we undertake this important assignment over the next two days, let us remain focused on our shared objective and guided by the spirit of cooperation that has long characterized the Nile Basin Initiative.”

#NileCooperation The meeting has begun. Here in full in what the Executive Director, Dr Nestor Niyonzima said: Distinguished Delegates, The Nile River Basin Investment Programme was not conceived as an ordinary project portfolio. It emerged from a clear directive of the Nile Basin Heads of State and Government at their first Summit in Entebbe in 2017, calling for a programme to drive climate-resilient socio-economic development while reversing environmental degradation across the Basin. The NR-BIP is the Nile Basin Initiative’s response to that mandate. In August 2022, the Nile Council of Ministers approved its development and entrusted NBI with coordinating the process in collaboration with Member States and regional institutions. This was followed by an extensive consultative process involving countries, regional organisations and technical institutions. Together, we developed agreed unbiased criteria for project identification, screening and prioritisation, ensuring an inclusive, transparent and technically sound process. The process continued through 2025 and culminated in June 2025 with four key deliverables: • The Nile River Basin Investment Programme Document • Cooperative Investments to Advance the Nile Development Agenda • The NR-BIP Portfolio Document • The NR-BIP Integrated Assessment Results These outputs reflect years of collective effort and shared ambition across the Basin. Distinguished Delegates, Beyond the portfolio of projects, the NR-BIP provides a structured platform for regional organisations to jointly identify and promote high-impact water-related investments. It strengthens coordination by addressing overlaps in mandates and intervention areas among Basin institutions, improving alignment and reducing fragmentation. The Programme has received strong recognition from partners. AUDA-NEPAD recently described it as a catalyst for climate-resilient growth aligned with Agenda 2063. The Lake Victoria Basin Commission highlighted its role in advancing “The Africa We Want.” The Eastern Africa Power Pool emphasised its potential to unlock investment in regional energy infrastructure. These perspectives confirm that the NR-BIP is a strategic platform for regional transformation. Following completion of the Programme documents, concerns were raised by Egypt and Sudan regarding aspects of the Eastern Nile portfolio. The Secretariat engaged the concerned Member States and provided responses through established Governance processes. At its 33rd meeting in December 2025 in Bujumbura, Burundi, the Nile Council of Ministers established this Special Committee comprising Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to address areas of non-consensus. Since then, the Secretariat has continued to facilitate the technical processes supporting this mandate, including technical reviews, consultations and analytical work. We are encouraged by the progress achieved and remain optimistic that the deliberations here in Kampala will contribute to a constructive outcome for consideration by Nile-COM and preparations for the Second Summit of Heads of State and Government. Distinguished Delegates, The NR-BIP presents a unique opportunity to engage partners more strategically, mobilise investment and eventually support implementation of priority regional projects. Most importantly, it provides a framework for a shared development agenda that strengthens resilience and expands opportunity across the Nile Basin. The Nile Basin Initiative remains fully committed to supporting Member States and implementing the guidance of Nile-COM. I thank you for your participation and wish you productive deliberations. I also wish those visiting Uganda a pleasant and safe stay in the Pearl of Africa.

Yesterday I visited Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, where a separate unit has been prepared to treat #Ebola patients. I'm glad for the opportunity to meet with health workers in charge and thank them for their dedication. I am very happy with all the work invested in preparedness and readiness that I have witnessed. I commend the Government of #Uganda for the work being done to control Ebola and provide care for those affected. Uganda’s leadership has been central to the response, and @WHO remains committed to supporting national efforts to stop transmission, save lives and protect communities. Mwebale nnyo.

🎥 2025 IGAD Media Awards Winner Spotlight Series | Stories That Move Our Region. As we listen to Mary Ann Muganda, a journalist from The Standard Newspaper-Kenya and an #IGAD Media Awards 2025 winner, let us be inspired to tell stories for change. Mary Ann says, “The more stories we tell, the greater we amplify the message.” And we reckon the same, emphasizing that over our 40 years of existence, we have come to understand that every step toward resilience has a story behind it. 📌 Submit your story now: mediaawards.igad.int/2026sub… 📅 Submissions close: July 31, 2026 #IGADMediaAwards2026 #RisingWithIGAD #OneRegionOneFuture