The Lake Victoria Basin Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Strategy for the Lake Victoria Basin has been officially launched.
The strategy was unveiled during a Development Partners Roundtable convened as part of the inaugural Lake Victoria Day celebrations held in Mwanza City, United Republic of Tanzania, from 18–21st May 2026.
The strategy adopts a tailored approach that reflects the diversity of transboundary basins, taking into account geographical, biophysical, economic, socio-cultural, and political differences across the region.
Broad in scope, the strategy outlines key interventions in watershed management and ecosystem conservation, water resources development, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk management. It also addresses water resources knowledge management, policy development, and transboundary water governance.
With a planning horizon extending to 2050, the strategy is supported by five consecutive five-year implementation plans, each with clearly defined targets and indicators.
These plans will be aligned with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission’s (LVBC) strategic planning cycles to ensure institutional integration, regular review, and policy coherence.
The strategy development process also generated valuable lessons that may inform similar initiatives in other transboundary basins.
These include the critical role of stakeholder engagement in fostering ownership, the need to complement scientific data with local knowledge to address information gaps, and the importance of aligning regional plans with pressing local challenges to secure broader support and commitment.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Environment, Republic of Uganda Hon. Dr Alfred Okidi, led other dignitaries in launching the strategy, marking a major milestone for the sustainable management of water resources in the Lake Victoria Basin.
Other dignitaries who attended the event included Ms Vanessa Eidt, Country Director of KfW German Development Bank in Tanzania; Mr Ally Mwinchande, Programme Officer responsible for cooperation with the East African Community (EAC) and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission at the European Commission; and Dr Masinde Bwire, Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission.
Speaking after the launch, Dr Okidi said:
“This is a major milestone for the millions of people living within the Lake Victoria Basin, as the strategy is intended to address the critical water resources challenges, they face and support sustainable development across the region.”
Ms Eidt reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting integrated water resources management in the basin, stating:
“German Cooperation remains a committed partner of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC). Of the EUR 83 million in our active portfolio supporting Integrated Water Resources Management in the Lake Victoria Basin, EUR 57 million is being implemented through KfW as grant financing. This includes support from the European Union for water sector infrastructure investments in the cities of Kisumu, Kampala, Kigali, and Mwanza.”
Ends.
