Enhancing strategic partnership with the Nile Basin Discourse

NELSAP encourages partnership with regional institutions to ensure the achievement of its mission and contribute towards its mandate to facilitate and support the identification and preparation processes for projects for the benefit of all riparian countries On August 17th and 18th, 2015, NELSAP held a meeting with the Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) in Kigali to operationalize the existing Memorandum of Understanding between NBD and Nile Basin Initiative and explore possible areas of partnership. The meeting was attended by the chairperson of the NBD Board, the NBD Regional Manager, NBD and NELSAP staff.
NELSAP and NBD discussed areas of mutual collaboration with regard to both the Nyimur and NCORE projects including joint field activities that can be undertaken by both NELSAP and NBD to support design and preparation of these projects. NBD will work with NELSAP on stakeholder engagement and communication for the Nyimur Multipurpose Project in order to support and facilitate the acceptance of the project by Nyimur Project stakeholders. In addition, NBD will provide relevant stakeholders from the civil society and the media to be incorporated into the proposed project stakeholder group.
NELSAP and NBD also resolved to work together to ensure incorporation of the civil society and involvement of local communities in the project preparation processes, specifically the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Resettlement Action Plan preparation for the NELSAP NCORE (Nile Cooperation for Results) Project in the Mara, Kagera and Sio Malaba Malakisi sub basins.
Other joint possible areas of collaboration identified during the meeting included the development of existing capacity, intellectual knowledge, and cultural understanding to enhance public participation in the development process of the NEL basins; collaboration on joint resource mobilization in the NEL region especially on stakeholder engagement and communication, documentation and dissemination of NELSAP projects achievements including lessons learned, best practices as well as collaboration on community awareness creation on NELSAP’s projects, programs, policies and other emerging issues of high importance to the NEL region.
NBD being a civil society network offers a public platform for dialogue, partnership and cooperation among civil society organizations in the Nile Basin. Its networking approach has provided a mechanism for coordinated action and has added value to the work of the Nile Basin Initiative.