South Sudan to host regional conference of Nile Basin Initiative

By Tapeng Michael Ohure

South Sudan has announced plans to host the 29^th Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-COM) meeting in Juba on Friday. 

The Nile Basin Initiative is a regional institution with 10 countries of Burundi, DRC Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

“The government of the Republic of South Sudan is the host of this year’s 29th Nile-COM meeting which takes place on Friday 26th. In addition, ministers for water affairs from the member states and members of the Diplomatic core shall attend the opening session of the Nile-COM meeting,” Manawa Peter Gatkuoth, the Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources in South Sudan told reporters in Juba on Wednesday.

“During this occasion key Nile basin applications and the Nile Basin Atlas will be launched by the guest of honor Vice President James Wani Igga,” he said.

South Sudan is a member state of the Nile Basin Initiative and the opening session of the Nile Council of Ministers will be attended by ministers for water affairs of the member states.

Engineer Sylvester Anthony Matemu, the Executive Director for the Nile Basin Initiative said 7 ministers from the region have already confirmed their participation in the Nile Basin Initiative conference and shall arrive on Thursday.

“This governance meeting has a lot of blessings and many ministers would like to come to Juba. Up to now 7 ministers have confirmed to come and the others will participate virtually,” Matemu said.