Protecting the water resources of Lake Victoria

Context

The East African Community (EAC) includes several transboundary water catchment areas, as well as Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, Albert, Edward, Kivu and Turkana. Lake Victoria is the second-largest freshwater lake in the world. Around 45 million people live in its catchment area, the Lake Victoria Basin, which stretches as far as Rwanda and Burundi.

While there are already some institutional and legal frameworks for dealing with water, withdrawals of water are not regulated. Water quality is at risk and the water catchment areas are not sufficiently protected.

Objective

The transboundary water resources in the seven partner countries of the East African Community are utilised in a sustainable and economically productive manner.

Approach

The project is working with the EAC Secretariat to improve the framework for transboundary water resources management and to revise water policy. It also promotes dialogue with other regional organisations and institutions in regional water management, such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The project also supports the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) in Kenya in carrying out its core water management functions efficiently. A new digital platform for data and knowledge management and an internal unit for water management are being created for this purpose. In addition, the participants are preparing a status report on the Lake Victoria Basin and finance-ready project proposals for climate change adaptation.

The project promotes regional cooperation between the LVBC, the relevant ministries and other responsible parties in the five partner countries of the Lake Victoria Basin.

The implementation of the project is supported by the GFA – Zutari consulting consortium.

Last update: December 2023