Nile Basin Initiative

Formally launched in February 1999 by the Council of Ministers of Water Affairs of the Nile Basin States, the Initiative provides a unique forum for the countries of the Nile to move forward a cooperative process to realize tangible benefits in the Basin and build a solid foundation of trust and confidence.

What does the NBI do?

• Provides a platform for co-operation and for building working relationships between the riparian countries
• Provides an arrangement by which to move forward from discussion to action
• Implements the “Strategic Action Program

Structure of the NBI

The Nile-COM serves as the highest decision-making body of the NBI. The Nile-COM is supported by Nile-TAC, which is composed of two senior officials from each member country. The NBI maintains a secretariat, the Nile-SEC, located in Entebbe , Uganda . The Secretariat began operations in June 1999 and was officially launched on September 3, 1999.

Strategic Action Program

Two primary areas:

• 1. Basin-wide projects - “Shared Vision Program” (SVP) to help create an enabling environment for action on the ground
• 2. Sub-basin projects - “Subsidiary Action Program” (SAP) is aimed at the delivery of actual development projects involving two or more countries

Cooperative Framework

The Cooperative Framework project aims at providing the support to the Nile River Basin countries in defining an adequate and acceptable framework for co-operation that may pave the way for equitable and legitimate use of the Nile River Basin water resources.