The Regional Policy Steering Committee (RPSC) taking place in Kisumu, Kenya focuses on results and formulation of new projects and programmes based on lessons learned. The RPSC is responsible for assessing and providing policy guidance on the overall performance of the Commission’s projects and programmes that promote sustainable development of Lake Victoria Basin.
Reporting to the members of the RPSC, Paul Kariuki, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Regional Lake Victoria Environment Management Project (LVEMPII) noted, “the project regionally and cumulatively delivered most of the indicators and targets both at outcome and immediate outcome levels.”
It was strongly noted that Community Driven Initiatives (CDDs) not only contributed to achieving LVEMP II Project objectives, but also played a key role in empowering vulnerable communities especially in the rural poor. The project supported 716 CDDs in all the 5 EAC Partner States.
Key lessons learned include, but are not limited to, mainstreaming knowledge management and communication to raise awareness, using different project implementation approaches as per intervention types and noting that the EAC’s subsidiary principle contributes to delivering expected results faster through regional project coordination and national implementation in the 5 participating Partner States.
Ms. Agnes Yobterik, the Director for Projects, programs and Strategic Initiatives, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Republic of Kenya (host country) commended LVBC for organizing the policy meeting and advised that formulation of the new programmes and projects should be based on lessons learned.” She also emphasized the need to plan for sustainability.
In the opening session comprised of multi-disciplinary experts from EAC Partner States, the LVBC Executive Secretary, Dr. Ally-Said Matano, highlighted key milestones in mobilizing resources, critical challenges in coordinating programmes and projects in 2017 and the strategies for realizing greater results. He then expressed his appreciation to the Development Partners and Partner States for unwavering support in terms of requisite resources, policy guidance and valuable feedback on the status of project implementation.
Reacting to the presentations, Deputy Secretary General for Productive and Social Sector for EAC Secretariat, Hon. Christopher Bazivamo commended LVBC for laudable achievements, specifically, the project approach directly touching communities such as Community Driven Initiatives. He noted that the programmes and projects coordinated with LVBC resonate with EAC Development Strategy, specifically on focus areas that impact livelihoods in the EAC Partner States through programmes and projects interventions. EAC Deputy Secretary General recommended for no regret development interventions in the EAC Partner States to realize aspirations of sustainable development.
Steering the meeting, Ms. Florence Grace Adongo, the Director, Water Resources Management, Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda thanked the Republic of Kenya for the warm reception and the overall hospitality. She urged LVBC to seize the opportunity to access resources from the Climate Change Window, specifically on Climate Adaptation Funds to address critical climatic hazards in the Lake Victoria Basin.
The RPSC ending on 27th April 2018 is attended by delegates from 5 EAC Partner States drawn from the Sectoral Ministries on Water, Environment, Health, Infrastructure, Maritime and the LVBC secretariat.
