Free Flow

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The Nile Basin Initiative: advancing transboundary

cooperation and supporting riparian communities

Abdulkarim H. Seid, Wubalem Fekade, Emmanuel Olet, Nile Basin Initiative

raversing a distance of 35 degrees latitude from the equa-

torial region of Africa in the south to the Mediterranean

Sea in the north, the Nile is one of the world’s longest

rivers. It is shared by 11 African countries and is a source of

livelihood for over 200 million people. The Nile drains an area

of 3.2 million square kilometres – about 10 per cent of Africa.

The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) 2012 State of the Nile River Basin

report subdivides the basin into 16 eco-regions. These feature large

rivers, waterfalls, lakes, wetlands, floodplains, forests, savannahs,

montane ecosystems, and arid and hyper-arid lands. One of the

world’s largest freshwater wetlands, the Sudd, and the world’s second

largest inland lake, Lake Victoria, are prominent features of the basin.

The Nile Basin hosts some of the world’s largest congre-

gations of large mammals and flocks of migratory birds

from Eurasia and other regions of Africa.

The Nile Basin is a relatively water-scarce region. The

average annual flow at its entrance to Egypt is about

2,660 m

/s – about 6 per cent that of the Congo River

at Inga. Most of the stream flow is generated from less

than a third of the basin. The basin is prone to seasonal

and inter-annual variability. Water resources develop-

ment is needed at the upstream part (comprising seven

of the 11 riparian countries) where nearly all river flow

is generated is at its infancy. The downstream part

(comprising two riparian countries), is almost entirely

dependent on upstream flow and has relatively better

developed water infrastructure and institutions.

The Nile Basin has hosted some of the oldest civiliza-

tions of mankind. That notwithstanding, currently the

Nile River and its associated ecosystems – the resource

bases – are facing a number of threats. In the upper

reaches the watersheds are undergoing continued and

accelerating degradation. From the Ethiopian catchments

alone where over 86 per cent of the river flow originates,

ater

iplomacy

The Nile Basin eco-regions

Source: NBI State of the Basin report, 2012

Tana-Beles integrated watershed management

project – Ethiopia

The Eastern Nile watershed management project has

built a regional knowledge base which has been used to

prepare fast-track projects worth about US$80 million.

One of these projects, in the upper Blue Nile in

Ethiopia, has scored impressive results in natural

resources management, improving the livelihoods of the

local community, and capacity development.

Examples include the preparation and implementation

of 163 community watershed plans; treatment of 821

ha of gully; rehabilitation of 16,000 ha of degraded

hillside; development of 4,000 ha of community woodlot

forestry; and 1,000 ha of small-scale irrigation in 14

schemes. In addition, 85 km of community access

roads and a number of footbridges were constructed to

improve market access; and 35 farmer training centres

were established – with about 700 farmers trained on

improved cereal, fruit tree cropping, vegetable gardening

and marketing. The project also established 13 animal

health posts; supplied 735 modern beehives and

163 pieces of apiculture equipment; and established

432 community water points and three village water

schemes. The project is among the NBI achievements

showcased during the 2013 Nile Day celebrations.