Cabinet approves ratification of Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework

Cabinet on Monday this week approved the ratification of the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework, Nile Post reports.

According to Uganda Media Centre, Shaban Bantariza who made the announcement on behalf the Uganda Media Centre boss Ofwono Opondo said that signing of the Cooperative Framework Agreement is important because it would provide a basis for establishment of the Nile Basin Commission which will be a legal entity in the Nile Basin countries.

Signing the Cooperative Framework will provide a basis for establishment of the Nile River Basin Commission which will be a legal entity in the Nile Basin countries unlike the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) which is transitional arrangement without any binding legal basis," Shaban said in part.

The framework will also be used to provide a legal basis for the use, development, protection, conservation and management of the Nile River Basin water resources for the benefits of all the Nile Basin countries.

Cabinet says that the framework will enable donors to continue and upscale funding the Nile Basin as the Commission would be able to enter into arrangements with donors directly unlike the present situation where NBI does so through the World Bank or GIZ.

They added that it will also facilitate implementation of joint trans-boundary water related projects between the Nile Basin countries.