Project

Nile Transboundary Environmental Action Project, Tranche 2

Key Basin Project Results

"1. Formal and informal training of thousands of technical staff in the Nile Basin aimed at correcting the prevailing knowledge imbalance on Nile related issues in general and water resource planning and management in particular ; 2. Recognition of environmental threats facing the land and water resources of the Nile Basin and the identification of trans-boundary strategies to address common issues; 3. Development of guidelines and best practices for trans-boundary water resource strategies, planning and management." (#2584, Nile River) "1. The capacity of regional and national institutions to address transboundary environmental threats to the Nile ecosystem was increased through hundreds of trainings involving thousands of participants. 2. Environmental education and awareness was vastly increased through national forums, public education campaigns, and school and university programs. 3. Over 340 micro-grant and national eligible projects demonstrated stress reduction measures for reducing human impacts and improving water quality." (#3398, Nile River) "1. Generation of scientific knowledge about the status of the Lake Nasser/Nubia Basin. Data collected so far include annual sedimentation levels/loads, socio-economic information about communities living around the Lake and other biophysical data 2. Establishment of the institutional and structures at locality and community levels for watershed management. Products such as Community Action Programs (CAPs) and Participatory Land Use Plans (PLUPs) have been prepared and are operational. 3. Capacity development through training and skills upgrade (two training sessions have been provided so far in the fundamentals of survey and hydrographic training from January 9-19, 2011 and March 26 to April 4, 2011, respectively. Participants for the survey training were from Sudan (4#), High Aswam Dam Authority HADA (1#), NRI (#1) and Nile Water Sector NWS (2#), while those for the hydrographic training from March 26 to April 4, 2011 were attended by 23 participants including seven (7#) from HADA, one (10 from NRI, two (2#) from NWS and four (4#) from Sudan. A number of farmer exchange visits and study tours (Ethiopia and India) have been undertaken." (#1094, Eastern Nile ENSAP)

Results Indicators

Restored habitat, including wetlands

[see desc]

INDICATOR #3: Enhanced conservation and management of Nile basin wetlands and their biodiversity in accordance with the principles of IWRM. [Target: Development and approval of a basin-wide strategy on wetlands management; management plans for at least three selected wetlands developed and under implementation.] A draft regional strategy was approved by the regional working group, and baseline studies were completed in 7 countries. The Sio-Sitko draft management plan was completed, and discussions on and preparations for the Dinder-Aletash plan were in an advanced stage. A Nile Wetlands Group was established and linked to the Ramsar Secretariat. (#3398, Nile River)
Conserved/protected wetland, MPAs, and fish refugia habitat

[see desc]

INDICATOR #2: Conservation and rehabilitation of key wetland areas along the NRB. [Target: Demonstration of the significant contribution of wetlands ecosystems and biodiversity to sustainable development in the NRB.] Ecological and economic studies to explain the role of wetlands and biodiversity in supporting sustainable development in the Lake Cyohoha and Lake Tana sub-basins were completed. Over 30 community/NGO pilots on wetlands management using micro-grants and national eligible projects were approved and being implemented. (#3398, Nile River)
Catchment protection measures

NA

"INDICATOR #1: Pilot projects demonstrate stress reduction measures on improving water characteristics through mitigation of human impacts, and reduced soil erosion and water run-off. [Target: Over 250 pilot projects to improve capacities in land and water management implemented; best practices documented and replicated.] Over 340 micro-grants and national eligible projects with a total commitment of USD 6.5 million were approved in all NBI countries. Areas of focus included: soil erosion mitigation; afforestation; tree planting; small scale irrigation; invasive water weed control; and water pollution control. 44 pilots were selected for review and possible documentation as best practices. " (#3398, Nile River) [Eastern Nile] "INDICATOR 1: Increase in the area of degraded agricultural landscape rehabilitated and under sustainable land and water management practices. Setting up the foundation for actual on-the-ground roll out of activities towards this indicator has progressed satisfactorily. These include the establishment of local area implementation structures such as village development committees (VDC) and community watershed teams (CWT), and the development of community Action Programs (CAPs) and Participatory Land Use Plans (PLUPs). Presently, interactive teams are in the localities and communities selecting projects site for the deployment of appropriate natural resources management and sustainable agricultural practices. In the meantime, the Project has focused on building the capacity (through training and skills upgrade, exchange visits, study tours, etc) of project implementation entities including key relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries. There is no quantitative data yet." (#1094, Eastern Nile ENSAP)
Regional legal agreements and cooperation frameworks

NO

"INDICATOR #1: Regional and national institutions strengthened in addressing transboundary threats to Nile ecosystem resources [Target: Policy recommendations on NRB environmental protection formulated and submitted for consideration in at least two countries; over 200 regional and national capacity building events; the environment function of NBI defined; environmental issues and priorities defined at the 2008 Nile Basin Development Forum.] At least 44 regional workshops and trainings (with over 1,200 participants) were delivered to government, NGOs, NGO networks and civil society professional staff. Likewise, at least 240 national workshops/trainings were attended by over 3,500 participants. Over 100 national and local stakeholder workshops/trainings were convened to discuss national and transboundary plans on Environmental Education and Awareness (EEA), Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) and Micro-grants (MG), and eight regional working groups on these topics were established and functioning. One regional and three national workshops were conducted to review soil erosion studies and develop pilot mitigation techniques using micro-grants as capital inputs. NTEAP undertook annual regional and national planning processes, and funded 37 national eligible projects totaling over USD 1.4 million. Macro policy and environment studies with policy reform recommendations were completed in all NBI countries. An aggregated regional Macro Policy and Environment report was produced and final recommendations were discussed in a regional workshop. At NBDF 2008 a non binding declaration was signed by seven ministers and representatives declaring cooperation in the management of the NRB environment and also endorsing the drafted environment functions of the NBI." (#3398, Nile River) [Eastern Nile] "INDICATOR 1: Adoption by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt and the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, Sudan of a framework for integrated and sustainable management of Lake Nasser/Nubia (LNN) Sub-basin. Preliminary steps have been taken and significant progress made in achieving the target. A joint technical steering committee (JTSC) has been established and since its establishment in 2010 this Committee has met three (3) already. Participation at these meetings has been satisfactory and recommendations from these meetings have been fully incorporated into the annual work plans. The Nile Research Institute (NRI) that is a key partner in the implementation of the Project has completed analyzes of biophysical field survey data for 2009 and 2010 that has been obtained from both the Sudanese and Egyptian sides of the Lake. Data from the March 2011 survey mission is also available. Under a consultant hire the Project has produced a sediment study report of the LNN. Under the oversight of the Eastern Nile Technical Regional Organization (ENTRO) the Project has completed the first phase of the sediment and water quality monitoring framework. Consultants have been hired to undertake the socioeconomic surveys for both Egypt and Sudan portions of LNN. An open source database management system has been developed, tested and installed under a turn-key consultancy involving a local firm in Egypt that has provided a one-year warranty during which period system modifications and improvements will be carried at no additional financial burden to the Sub-component. Two training sessions have been provided so far. These include the fundamentals of survey training that was carried out from January 9-19, 2011. Participants were from Sudan (4#), High Aswam Dam Authority HADA (1#), NRI (#1) and Nile Water Sector NWS (2#). From March 26 to April 4, 2011 hydrographic survey training was delivered to 23 participants including seven (7#) from HADA, one (10 from NRI, two (2#) from NWS and four (4#) from Sudan. It should be noted that these studies are prerequisite for the preparation of the framework for integrated management of the LNN and its adoption by the two riparian countries." (#1094, Eastern Nile ENSAP)
Regional Management Institutions

YES

Nile Basin Initiative
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis: Agreement on transboundary priorities and root causes

NO

-
Development of Strategic Action Program (SAP)

NO

-

Information sources

#1094: IWC6 Results Note (2011), #2584: IWC6 Results Note (2011), #3398: Results Note (2013)

This is the second phase of a large and complex regional project in the Nile Basin with $90 million plus in co-financing known as the Nile Basin Initiative. The first phase was artificially reduced in the early 2000's because of lack of funding in the GEF. An evaluation was conducted and this second phase submitted for GEF consideration.

The project contributes to the goals of GEF-4 IW Strategic Objective 2: it plays a catalytic role in addressing transboundary water concerns by assisting countries to utilize the full range of technical assistance and institutional reforms that are needed. It is also fostering international (14+ donors and a least 4 International Organizations), multi-state cooperation (9 countries and 1 observer) on priority transboundary water and environmental concerns through more comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to environment management and therefore makes a contribution to Strategic Objective 1 as well. The project addresses one of the four identified global concerns, namely, overuse and conflicting uses of water resources in the Nile Basin as targeted under Strategic Programme 3. Project activities focus on area-wide interventions that involve integrated land and water resources management as well as preventive measures to address environmental threats.

It does this primarily through the facilitation and capacity building for the integrated management and use of land and water resources according to the principles of IWRM. The project also contributes to the biodiversity focal area through its work on wetlands. More specifically, it targets GEF-4 BD Strategic Objective 1 - capacity building in management planning for sustainable use of wetlands biodiversity. It also addresses the control and management of invasive alien species as listed under BD SO 4. The scope of the project spans the entire Nile Basin and activities are targeted at multicountry, national interministerial, and subnational/community levels. Other indicators identified for SP 3 and targeted by the project include the setting up of national inter-ministry committees, ministerially-agreed action programmes and leading to experience sharing and learning, knowledge management, and replication of good practices that contribute to sustaining livelihoods as well as food and water security.

Similar targets will be pursued by the project for regional/basin agreements and ensuring that the mandate of the emerging permanent basin organization includes environmental functions. During the Second Phase, the NTEAP will strive towards the following updated Objective: To protect critical Nile Basin ecosystems from transboundary threats through the provision of a strategic environmental framework and the engagement of stakeholders according to the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This Objective provides a sharper focus for NTEAP on aspects of the NBI spectrum that are not being addressed by any of the other six SVP projects. It acknowledges that it is not necessary for NTEAP to continue working in areas where there is a specific project, and its limited resources are better spent covering those aspects of the Nile “environment” not covered by other projects, namely “ecosystems”, while still seeking to work through the Strategic Environment Framework and the engagement of stakeholders, according to IWRM principles.

Project Category

Other (not set)

Waterbodies

Nile

Ecosystems

River

Budget

USD 78,690,000

Total Cost of the project

USD 6,700,000

GEF Allocation to project

Partners

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (WB)

The main focus is on helping the poorest people and the poorest countries, but for all its clients the Bank emphasizes the need for:Investing in people, particularly through basic health and educationFocusing on social development, inclusion, governance, and institution-building as key elements of poverty reduction Strengthening the ability of the governments to deliver quality services, efficiently and transparently Protecting the environment Supporting and encouraging private business developmentPromoting reforms to create a stable macroeconomic environment, conducive to investment and long-term planning.

Nile Basin Secretariat

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.

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

The UN Office for Project Services - UNOPS - manages project resources to help developing nations and countries in transition in their quest for peace, social stability, economic growth and sustainable development.

Contacts

Gedion Asfaw

Project Manager

Joel Arumadri

Knowledge Management Specialist.

John Bryant Collier

Operations Officer

Mirey Atallah

Regional Technical Advisor Land Degradation and International Waters

GEF ID

2584

Status

closed

Focal Area

International Waters

Project Type

Full-Size Project

Start Date

02 Apr, 2008

End Date

31 Dec, 2009

Last Update

06 Mar, 2018