Countries in the Nile Basin launched the Nile Basin Initiative, a regional intergovernmental cooperation, on February 22, 1999, with the objectives of promoting regional security and peace, benefiting from substantial socioeconomic advantages, and cooperatively managing and developing the Nile Basin’s shared water resources.
Furthermore, the ten countries are collaborating in a cooperation pact to promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in the region. In order to support communities and mitigate the effects of climate change, the Nile Basin has implemented a number of ecological programs.
For example, the effort aims to guarantee that water resources are managed in a coordinated way across the region. Additionally, it highlights the necessity of managing water resources, which comprises doing so in a coordinated and sustainable manner.
The Nile Basin Initiative’s numerous programs that support sustainable land management conserve and restore ecosystems, and address challenges like soil erosion and deforestation are the main reasons why the initiative addresses environmental conservation issues. Additionally, it promotes climate change adaptation. One of the initiatives to help the countries of the Nile Basin adapt to the effects of climate change is the creation of strategies to mitigate the effects of changing weather patterns and extreme events.
The program also encourages the creation of sustainable renewable energy sources. This lessens reliance on fossil fuels and lessens environmental harm by encouraging the development of sustainable energy sources in the Nile Basin, including as hydropower and renewable energy.
The Nile Basin Initiative helps countries protect their biological variety. The distinctive biodiversity of the Nile Basin is protected and preserved, and this includes supporting the preservation of natural places and endangered species. Thus, the project aims to address environmental problems in the Nile Basin and promote cooperation and sustainable development among riparian countries.
The Executive Director of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) Secretariat Florence Grace Adongo told local media that one of the main cornerstones of the Nile Basin Initiative is environmental sustainability, thus it has persisted in pressuring the riparian nations to strengthen the program at the national level.
She also stated that the Nile riparian countries’ national environmental initiatives had made significant contributions to the basin’s long-term viability. “What we are doing is encouraging countries at the national level of their environmental re-afforestation and restoration program.” The most crucial question is: what role does Ethiopia play in this endeavor?
In this context, Adongo praised Ethiopia for its admirable efforts in carrying out numerous environmental projects, including the Green Legacy Initiative. “Ethiopia has done very well and we appreciate that,” she said.
Ethiopia is, in fact, making several efforts to lessen the effects of climate change. According to the Government Communication Service (GCS), the government would strive hard to make a green Ethiopia a reality, until the GreenLegacy Initiative is regarded as a culture among Ethiopians. In June 2019, Prime Minister Abiy launched the Green Legacy Initiative, as a flagship program of the country.
Because of this, Ethiopia has carried out its Green Legacy Initiative by planting 32.5 billion tree saplings across the country. The Initiative is a huge project with a 50 billion tree seedling target by 2026. Of the 32.5 billion seedlings that have been planted so far, more than 90 percent have survived. When natural resource conservation and biodiversity management are enhanced and maintained consistently, it is possible to contribute to efforts to lessen the impact of climate change, GCS noted.
As stated by Adongo, “Other riparian nations, such as Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi, have similar programs and initiatives with annual targets as well.” She said that we should recognize nations for their contributions and commended their national efforts, which have a significant influence on the sustainability of the Nile Basin.
“Along with the environmental initiatives, the executive director indicated that the Nile Basin Initiative secretariat is requesting resource mobilization to carry out other projects for the basin. As the secretariat reiterates its commitment, we are also looking at resource mobilization and moving projects ahead”, Adongo explained.
The executive director mentioned essential pillars for managing and developing the shared Nile Basin, noting that some do not draw resources as easily as others. “We’re taking an integrated strategy. If we are operating in one basin, for example, producing hydropower, we should consider the watershed. If the watershed of that basin is not maintained, the infrastructure we have constructed will become unsustainable.”
Regarding NBI’s role in over 25 years of participation, Adongo stated that it acted as a forum for discourse, a catalyst for change, boosting regional integration, increasing competitiveness, and unleashing the Nile Basin’s enormous potential for Africa and beyond. NBI encompasses 10 percent of the African continent and is home to about 25 percent of its inhabitants.
Despite their enormous potential for great growth, Nile Basin nations confront critical development issues like as water security, energy security, food security, and vulnerability to environmental shocks caused by the negative effects of climate change.
Recognizing the aforementioned issues, Adongo stated that no country can tackle them alone. As a result, she emphasized the need for countries in the Nile Basin to work together to find a shared solution to such common issues.
In reality, the growth and implementation of regional environmental projects like Green Legacy depend heavily on the participation and collaboration of the states that make up the Nile Basin. Ethiopia is getting close to the Green Legacy planting season this year. Sites are being ready for planting, and seedlings are receiving continual care.
Ethiopia’s annual Green Legacy campaign brings communities, schools, and organizations together to plant billions of trees with the goal of promoting environmental sustainability, combating climate change, reversing deforestation, and reducing land degradation.
Therefore, it is essential to expand and carry out this project in a coordinated manner in order to establish a Green economy that is robust to climate change. Thus, the detrimental effects of climate change on natural resources, agriculture, and health care are lessened. In addition, the Nile Basin Initiative countries can achieve increased productivity and output by implementing the Green Legacy Initiative in an integrated and systematic manner, which enhances soil fertility and long-term soil health.
BY EPHREM ANDARGACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 16 JUNE 2024
