Presentation by: Amb. Eugene MUNYAKAYANZA

OUTLINE

Background information

Rationale and Opportunity of creation of ABAKIR

Objectives and roles of ABAKIR enshrined in the Convention

Priority actions and stakeholders

Challenges

Current and future key actions

1. Background information Indicative Limit of Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin

Lake Kivu Watershed Area: 5430 Km2

Ruzizi River watershed:325 km2 Countries:

Burundi

Democratic Republic of Congo Rwanda

Estimated population 2.2 millions

1. Background continued

Need to use water resource for electricity generation from hydropower and methane gas; presence of hydropwers Ruzizi I, II and the projected Ruzizi III and Kivu Watt and others(Total potential 700MW)

Need for the fight against pollution Need for the regulation of the diverse uses of water resource •July 6, 2011: Decision of the three member states of the basin, namely Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, to create the Authority for Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River Basin , “ABAKIR” in charge of the IRWM in the basin.

This basin is one of the Africa 80 transboundary river/lake basin

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Background information continued Stresses observed in the basin

Pollution of the Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi river by sediments, solid and liquid wastes from surrounding cities, plants, mines and households, eruptions in the area

Deforestation and non appropriate agricultural activities which causes soil erosion

Destruction of the biodiversity and ecosystems Environment pressures from human economic

activities and climate change with a highly population density ( more than 400 habitants per square km)

Non protection of the lake shores Methane gas extraction that can harm the stability of the lake

2.Rationale of Creation of a Trilateral Authority for the Integrated Water Resources Management in Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Basin

Need for promoting regional cooperation in

the area of Integrated Water Resource

Management through the framework of an

International Convention

International Convention “relating to the

creation of the Authority and the “ Statutes of

ABAKIR” were signed by State Parties in

Kinshasa (DRC) on 4th November 2014.

ABAKIR transitional structure launched

in January 2013 under European Union

financial support

2.Rationale of ABAKIR (ctd)

The development of the economic infrastructures in energy and transport sectors in the basin needs a regulatory body to ensure the sustainable use of the resources .

The use of shared water resource to generate hydro power from Ruzizi cascade in Public- Private-Partnership( PPP) urged to establish a Trilateral Authority for the integrated management of this resource with a mandate of regulation of its different uses for the common benefits of the riparian states:Ruzizi I(30 MW),II(43,8 MW), III(147 MW) et IV(287MW).

Financial support expressed by WB,AfDB,BEI,KfW,AFD,EU,DBSA

3.Roles of the Authority The global objectives of ABAKIR is : i) to ensuring protection for

water resource , and ii)to enhancing regional cooperation between partner states.

Specifically it is stemmed from the 1997 UN Convention on International water courses has to :

pursue and develop a strong cooperation and make every effort to achieve the defined objectives and to enable the application of the general principles of Subsidiarity, Polluter Pays and User Pays , Preventive action, Participation and Fair and equitable benefit sharing;

cooperate on the fundamental issues of the IWRM and take all the judicial, administrative and technical measures required to keep and, as far as possible, improve the water quality and quantity of the Basin;

support the activities of the institutions that can be established under the present Convention;

3.Roles of the Authority(Ctd) ensure the exchange of available information and data

concerning the quantity, quality and use of the water resource in the Basin ;

notify the State parties any useful information in case of emergency situations;

Promote joint research;

make sure that measures contained in the action plans are integrated into policies, strategies, programs and plans of the member countries and follow up the implementation of these programs.

Implement common works in good faith and share benefits thereof in a fair and equitable way

4.Examples of Need for Regulation

Management biodiversity Gas Extraction in Lake Kivu

Control of Pollution

4.Need for Regulation by ABAKIR(ctd)

Fishing Environment

Construction of hydropower

Irrigation

5.Key planned actions

Establish a preliminary inventory of the state of the resource and its current uses

Prepare the strategic and operational action plans and funding

Carry out an inventory of the water resources Establish common rules concerning the

priority regulations of water resources . Develop a system of analysis for quality and

quantity control of water resource .

Establish tools for the monitoring of the quality and quantity of water in the basin.

Lake Kivu view

6. Challenges Few studies on the state of the water resource of the

basin; The different degradation actions on the water resource

and the environment in the basin because of no respect or inexistence of proper regulation;

Lack of harmonization of the laws for the different of water resource

Weak interaction between riparian folks and water resource users,lot of pressure on the water resource and no coordination of actions addressing the negative effects;

The lack of adequate funding for implementation of climate change mitigation projects , the sensitization and awareness campaigns;

Limited engagement of development partners to support the Authority actions.

7.Urgent actions to address these challenges

Need of funding of the Authority activities and carrying out key studies

Acceleration the ratification of the convention to strengthen ABAKIR and its actions.

Establishment of collaborative actions ; Support of the organization of sensitization workshop of

local administrations and representatives of key actors in the basin;

Facilitation of the implementation of the communication strategy by supporting awareness and sensitization campaigns and establish dialogue platforms;

Harmonization of regulation of the different uses of the water resource.

8. Lessons learnt Critical role of ABAKIR recognized by partner

countries and Development partners ; however financing do not follow

Basin organizations sharing the same basin to establish memorandum of undertanding

Membership of ANBO and RIOB to focus on sharing best practices and sharing scientific information

ABAKIR being a key factor for establishment of dialogue platform between diverse stakeholders and ground actors

Thank you for your attention