Deadline: 30-Jun-23
Applications are now open for the Nile Basin Development Forum (NBDF), a high – level regional event convened every three years by the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) in collaboration with its Member States and in partnership with development partners.
The event is a science-policy-practice dialogue that provides an opportunity for constructive reflection on contemporary information, knowledge and best practices as well as building partnerships among professionals, in transboundary water resources management and development.
The Forum is taking place at a time when the region is experiencing increasing impacts of climate change on water resources, which impacts have a potential to exacerbate the challenges of the basin management in a complex natural environment. Implied in the theme, therefore, is the urgent need to implement structural and non-structural measures to build the resilience of the Nile Basin to impacts of climate change.
Objective of the 7th NBDF
- The goal of the 7th NBDF is to enhance processes by which transboundary water cooperation can translate into tangible mutual benefits for Nile riparian countries and contribute to NBI’s shared vision, which is to promote socio-economic benefits for the people and countries of the Nile Basin, and this while maintaining the integrity of ecosystems.
Theme
The 7th in its series, NBDF 2023 will focus on the theme:
- Deepening Nile cooperation: Accelerating the achievement of SDGs in a changing climate
Thematic Areas
- Thematic Area 1: Water, Energy, Food Nexus
- The eradication of hunger, provision of universal access to safely managed water supply and sanitation, and provision of universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy are key goals of the SDGs. This sub-theme will discuss approaches of developing shared water resources in a coordinated manner to achieve the relate sectoral goals for the benefit of all co-riparian communities. The discussions are framed with in the WEF nexus approach due to the interlinked nature of these sectors, which needs their coordinated development. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 1 are the following:
- Strategic water resources analysis to support nexus approach
- Basin monitoring (including in-situ and remote sensing) to generate data and information needed for water resources planning
- Hydropower development and regional power interconnection and trade
- Water resources development for agricultural production; agricultural water management
- Conjunctive use of transboundary surface and GW resources
- Water supply and sanitation
- Dam cascade operation
- Navigation: contribution to intra-regional trade and food security
- The eradication of hunger, provision of universal access to safely managed water supply and sanitation, and provision of universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy are key goals of the SDGs. This sub-theme will discuss approaches of developing shared water resources in a coordinated manner to achieve the relate sectoral goals for the benefit of all co-riparian communities. The discussions are framed with in the WEF nexus approach due to the interlinked nature of these sectors, which needs their coordinated development. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 1 are the following:
- Thematic Area 2: Ecosystem Sustainability
- The protection and conservation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and reversing their degradation, to which SDG 15 is devoted, is a critical requirement for attainment of sustainable development. This sub-theme will be used to share experiences and best practices in the sustainable management of ecosystem in in a transboundary river/lake basin setting. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 2 are the following:
- Environmental and ecosystem sustainability (TEEB, wetlands management, eflows, peatlands, marine plastics)
- Lake and river ecosystems
- Forest ecosystems
- Mountain ecosystems in transboundary water basins
- State of basin indicators and reporting
- Water quality monitoring and data management
- Investment for improvement of water quality and pollution control
- The protection and conservation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and reversing their degradation, to which SDG 15 is devoted, is a critical requirement for attainment of sustainable development. This sub-theme will be used to share experiences and best practices in the sustainable management of ecosystem in in a transboundary river/lake basin setting. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 2 are the following:
- Thematic Area 3: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
- The Nile Basin is characterized by considerable spatial and temporal water resources variability, which is being amplified by impacts of climate change. Upstream countries in the basin experience high variability in rainfall is highly variable, and oscillate between periods of heavy rainfall and flooding to prolonged periods of drought and little rain, with associated impacts on physical infrastructure and food production. Downstream countries face stark challenges associated with water scarcity, widening aridity and increasing desertification. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 3 are the following:
- Climate change policy and strategic frameworks, NAPAS, NDCs
- Climate change science – rainfall-runoff forecasting, hydrology, vulnerability assessment, etc.
- Climate information services
- Green technologies and climate smart infrastructure
- Nature-based solutions of climate adaptation
- Disaster Risk Management (including disaster risk prevention; disaster impact mitigation; preparedness; disaster response; and recovery and rehabilitation).
- Regional flood and drought management
- Tapping climate financing opportunities
- The Nile Basin is characterized by considerable spatial and temporal water resources variability, which is being amplified by impacts of climate change. Upstream countries in the basin experience high variability in rainfall is highly variable, and oscillate between periods of heavy rainfall and flooding to prolonged periods of drought and little rain, with associated impacts on physical infrastructure and food production. Downstream countries face stark challenges associated with water scarcity, widening aridity and increasing desertification. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 3 are the following:
- Thematic Area 4: Finance and Investments
- The Nile Basin is fairly well endowed with water resources, both surface and ground, although they are unevenly distributed in space. Despite the apparent abundance of water, particularly in the upstream parts of the river basin, many of the Nile riparian countries suffer from economic water scarcity, which is the result of inadequate water infrastructure, or inability to satisfy the demand for water even where there is physical water abundance. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 4 are the following:
- Basin management plans and investment planning
- Investment project preparation, and project preparation facilities
- Investment promotion and mobilization of downstream investment finance
- Innovative investment financing mechanisms
- The Nile Basin is fairly well endowed with water resources, both surface and ground, although they are unevenly distributed in space. Despite the apparent abundance of water, particularly in the upstream parts of the river basin, many of the Nile riparian countries suffer from economic water scarcity, which is the result of inadequate water infrastructure, or inability to satisfy the demand for water even where there is physical water abundance. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 4 are the following:
- Thematic Area 5: Transboundary Water Governance
- Effective governance of transboundary rivers is vital for not only fostering cooperation and preventing conflict over water, but also providing the framework for ensuring states can meet their water, energy, food, and human security needs, and reduce their climate and water-related risks such as flood, drought, water pollution and loss of critical ecosystems that support biodiversity. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 5 are the following:
- Transboundary water law and policy; policy harmonization
- Institutional arrangements for sustainable management of transboundary basins
- Collaboration between RECs and RBOs to promote investment in transboundary water basins.
- Mediation and conflict resolution in transboundary basins
- Capacity building and water diplomacy
- Financing of transboundary cooperation
- Gender dimensions in TWM; social inclusion; engagement of special and vulnerable groups including youth and women
- Role of media in supporting transboundary water cooperation
- Business and private sector role in transboundary water cooperation
- Effective governance of transboundary rivers is vital for not only fostering cooperation and preventing conflict over water, but also providing the framework for ensuring states can meet their water, energy, food, and human security needs, and reduce their climate and water-related risks such as flood, drought, water pollution and loss of critical ecosystems that support biodiversity. The titles of webinars that will run under Thematic Area 5 are the following:
Target Audience
- NBI governance, senior government officials, policy makers, researchers, academia, development partners, civil society, private sector and the media. Others are local communities in the Nile Basin countries, as well as representatives of river basin organizations.
Eligible Countries
When: October 2023 Where: Kampala, Uganda
Event Format
- The 7th NBDF will have a hybrid format. The hybrid format, will comprise of the following sequential segments:
- Opening session: 28th September 2023
- Virtual webinars: 3rd -27th October 2023
- Closing session: 30th October 2023 – 1st November 2023
For more information, visit Nile Basin Initiative.
