Rwanda to host Nile Basin forum

Rwanda is set to host the third Nile Basin Development Forum (NBDF) slated for October this year. The three-day international forum will deliberate on climate change and its implications on sustainable development and cooperation in the Nile basin countries. Vincent de Paul Kabalisa, the Director of Integrated Water Resources Development at the Rwanda Natural Resources Authority, said that the meeting will provide a platform for open discussions that will enhance common understanding of the implications of climate change on the entire Nile River systems. “Even before the phenomenon of global climate change, the Nile Basin had been experiencing considerable variations in climate, with disastrous impact on livelihoods and national economies,” he said. Kabalisa added that the forum will also be an opportunity to raise awareness of the benefits of cooperation in order to address challenges posed by climate change through joint coordinated actions. He noted that the Nile Basin is sensitive to climate change due to the fact that it has a great impact on the water and environmental resource and socio-economic development of the region. The meeting will bring together Nile Basin member countries, development partners, international and non government organisations, academic institutions, researchers and university professors. The Nile Basin Development Forum is a mechanism for fostering the emergence of a knowledge-based community within the Nile Basin, and a tool for enhancing the exchange of experiences and deepening of the understanding of Nile Basin issues and challenges. It is held once every two years. The first forum was held in Addis Ababa in 2006 while Khartoum hosted the second in 2008.The Nile Basin covers nine regional countries which share the waters of River Nile. Ends

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Rwanda to host Nile Basin forum