Involving NELSAP Project Stakeholders on Environmental and Social Safeguards
For projects that have environmental and social economic impacts, consultation is not usually a single encounter but a series of opportunities to create understanding about the project and its potential impacts among those it will likely affect or interest, and to learn how external parties view the project.
NELSAP is planning to hold a prior stakeholders consultation for its River Basin Management projects to name the Kagera, Mara and the Sio-Malaba-Malakisi Projects in the respective locations from Ruvyironza (Burundi), Kabuyanda (Uganda), Ngono (Tanzania), Mara Valley site (Tanzania), Nyabanja (Uganda) and Sio-Sango (Kenya) from 6th November to 11th December 2014.
The objective of these consultations is to initiate prior dialogue and establish a continuous relationship with stakeholders of the RBM project, especially those who will be affected by it and involve them in the implementation of respective projects.
In doing so, NELSAP expects the country buy-in and ownership of the projects and allows continuous feedback for corrective action, all of which are key ingredients of project sustainability.
The specific objectives are:
i. To inform stakeholders on the project, its objectives, outcomes and the anticipated environmental and social economic impacts;
ii. To garner views of the affected parties with regard to the assessment of the potential impacts and gain agreement on the possible measures of mitigation.
iii. To enable the projects to meet the regulatory requirements for prior consultation on environmental and social safeguards preceding commencement of studies.
iv. To scope key socio economic and environmental issues for purposes of documenting the baseline situation of project sites.
