The Regional Policy Steering Committee (RPSC) that concluded on 27th April 2018 in Kisumu, Republic of Kenya commends Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) for spearheading pipeline projects to fruition.
Mr. Alfred Okidi Okot, the Chairperson of the RPSC, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water and Environment, the Republic of Uganda made the remark referring to 30 million Euros mobilized for implementation of the Regional Integrated Water Resources Management Project (IWRM), 5 Million USD for Climate Change Adaptation and 36.6 USD for the Multinational Lake Victoria Communication and Transport Project.
The Chairperson of the RPSC Coordination Committee lauded also the Development Partners for supporting regional integration agenda and East Africa Community Partner States for providing requisite policy guidance that informed the programmes and project formulation and resource mobilization. He urged LVBC to fast-track the remaining pipeline projects to fruition.
Dr. Ally-Said Matano, the Executive Secretary of LVBC presented to the members of the RPSC the status of programmes and project implemented in 5 EAC Partner States, registered challenges and tasks ahead. On the latter, the Dr Matano said: “We will embark on writing the National Project Completion Report and the Regional Project Completion Reports.”
In line with LVBC’s mandate of mobilizing state and non-state actors towards sustainable development, the LVBC Executive Secretary informed delegates that “through the Nordic Development Fund, we have secured USD 3.7 million to support the initiative on engaging private sector for Green Growth in the Lake Victoria Basin. This is an initiative aimed as sustaining the gains from the same in LVEMPII.”
The Deputy Secretary General for Productive and Social Sectors, the EAC Secretariat, Hon. Bazivamo Christopher, implored delegates from Partner States to refocus efforts to no regret actions as effects of environmental challenges are rampant in the Lake Victoria Basin.
“An estimated 3.793 million hectors of global arable land is lost annually due to desertification. Floods have continued to devastating impacts leading into deaths, people displacement and infrastructure damages across the region,” Bazivamo noted.
He cited media reports indicating that 10 people to have died in Kwale, Kenya, 7 in Arusha and more than 12 in Rwanda due to floods as a cause for matching policy resolutions with impactful actions to reverse environmental stresses in Lake Victoria Basin.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary, Charles Sunkuli, the host of the RPSC Meeting re-affirmed Kenya’s commitment to conserving the environment and promoting regional integration agenda. He also commended LVBC efforts of enhancing community resilience through climate change adaptation projects and other environmental conservation interventions in the Lake Victoria Basin.
The meeting ended after delegates examined programmes and project statuses and made decisions and directives to guide the next processes relating to resource mobilization, projects and programme coordination and coordination. Present were Principal and Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Water, Environment, Health, Infrastructure among others.
