The East African Community (EAC), in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU), has launched the EAC4Nature Project, a transformative three-year initiative aimed at enhancing sustainable natural resource management across the region.
The project, officially titled “Support to Management of Nature-Based Solutions with the East African Community”, will run from January 2025 to June 2028, with total funding exceeding Shs 31 billion.
EAC4Nature focuses on integrating Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) into regional policies, enhancing transboundary cooperation, and strengthening the capacities of regional basin organizations, including the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA), and the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin Authority (ABAKIR).
Richard Gatete, representing the Executive Secretary of the LVBC, emphasized the region’s commitment to climate action.
“We must collectively address key elements, including the drafting of the State of the Basin Report, a critical document assessing the health of Lake Victoria’s ecosystem, and the mid-term review of the LVBC’s Strategic Plan (2021–2026), among other issues,” Gatete said.
Experts at the launch also addressed major concerns, including regional climate change challenges, the need for increased climate financing, technology transfer, and capacity building.
The LVBC has been instrumental in securing funding from partners such as the World Bank to support sustainable development programs in the region.
Alicia Vandebum from the German Embassy reaffirmed Germany’s long-standing commitment to supporting climate action in East Africa.
“The EAC4Nature Project builds on the 6th EAC Development Strategy, which prioritizes transboundary environmental management and climate resilience,” she said.
“Germany is proud to partner with the EAC in advancing these solutions, which promise long-term benefits not just for conservation but also for the economic stability of the region,” Vandebum added.
Jean Baptiste Havugimana, Chairperson of the project, described EAC4Nature as a crucial step toward sustainable natural resource management.
“The EAC4Nature Project is a critical step towards achieving sustainable natural resource management in the region. We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of this project,” Havugimana said.