Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) Secretariat has rallied the East African Community Partner States to support the proposed Multisectoral Multiphase programme for Ecosystem Stabilization and Socio-economic Development of Lake Victoria Basin supported by the World Bank.
Executive Secretary Dr Masinde Bwire said the proposed programme would help in strengthening the Stabilization of the Lake Victoria Basin ecosystems (including water quality), Sustainable development of transport infrastructure and Support the development of the Blue Economy and Agriculture.
Dr Bwire said several EAC Partner States are set to benefit from the proposed programme that also intends to create jobs and alleviate poverty through sustainable development of value chains in the blue and green economies in the basin.
The commission has already developed and shared the Regional Programme Concept Note with the EAC Partner States and held series of high level engagements with Permanent, Principal and Under Secretaries in the ministries responsible for Environment, water, fisheries maritime transport, finance/national treasuries and East African Community affairs.
To pacify the process of developing this ambitious programme, a high level consultative session was held with
Permanent and Principal Secretaries (PSs) in Dar Es Salaam Tanzania between 23rd- 24th May last year.
During this session, the PSs agreed on the three broad priorities for the programme and approved the roadmap for preparation of the proposed Programme and directed LVBC Secretariat to coordinate its implementation and regularly report progress.
Partner states were also urged to make formal requests through their respective finance ministries for support to the World Bank to help prepare the proposed Multisectoral Multiphase Programme for Lake Victoria Basin by August 2025 once the International development association ( IDA 21) envelope is confirmed.
The World Bank team led by Director for Regional Integration for Sub Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa Ms Boutheina Guermazi visited the commission for multi sectoral engagement in March last year to further firm-up consensus and the preparation of the programme.
During their engagement, the World Bank and Lake Victoria Basin Commission jointly agreed on a multi-phase programme for strengthening resilience of communities, ecosystems and economies in Lake Victoria Basin.
The two institutions identified key priority areas and challenges to be addressed in the basin where the proposed programme will be implemented. Critical sectors to benefit from this programme include watershed/landscape restoration, integrated environmental sanitation, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, climate resilient
agriculture, maritime transport and safety, point and non-point pollution control, resource efficiency and cleaner production among others. The project will also leverage and intensely engage private sector especially in values chains that can create the much needed-jobs for the region.
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