Uganda to host the “Heads of State Summit” in October

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | On October 17, 2024, Uganda will host the “Heads of State Summit,” bringing together 11 heads of state from countries within the Nile Basin. This summit, the highest decision-making body of the Nile Basin Corporation, is crucial for addressing political issues and directing the effective management of the basin’s water resources.

This upcoming summit will be the second of its kind, following the inaugural meeting in 2017. At that first summit, President Museveni was appointed as the leader of the council, a position he continues to hold. The date for this summit was set by the 32nd Annual Nile Basin Council of Ministers meeting (NILECOM), which also marked the 27th Nile Equatorial Lakes Council of Ministers meeting. At this meeting, Rwanda took over the leadership of NILECOM from Uganda.

Sam Cheptoris, Uganda’s Minister for Water and Environment and outgoing NILECOM chairperson, explained that President Museveni had directed him to organize the summit, specifying that it should occur within the year. The summit comes at a significant time as the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), also known as the Entebbe Agreement, is set to come into force.

The CFA, which outlines the contributions of each basin state to the Nile River system and the management of its waters, has been ratified by Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and recently, South Sudan. This agreement is expected to be implemented on October 6, 2024, following the final ratification by all member nations.

Callist Tindimugaya, Director for Water Resources Management in the Ministry of Water and Environment and Chairperson of the Nile Basin Advisory Committee (NILETAC), indicated that the Heads of State Summit will likely declare the implementation of the CFA, launch the Nile Basin Commission, and initiate an investment program for the basin.

The NILECOM meeting also decided to extend the term of NILETAC until June 2025, beyond the original one-year term ending in October 2024. Additionally, a USD 10 million budget for the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) was approved. This budget will address emerging issues related to water resources, such as recent floods in East Africa and South Sudan, and support the development of South Sudan’s national water policy.

It will also fund a groundwater program and enhance the capacity of basin countries to manage their water resources effectively. Furthermore, the meeting scheduled Nile Day celebrations for February 2025 in Ethiopia and the Nile Basin Development meeting for 2026 in Tanzania.

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