1. THE NILE BASIN DISCOURSE PRESENTATION BY JOHN GAKUMBA, Kigali – Rwanda November 2014.

2. OVERVIEW | NBD-Network
The Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) is a civil society network with over 940 member and partner organizations within the NB region.
Offering a public platform for dialogue, partnership and cooperation among civil society organizations
A regional NGO with a Secretariat in Entebbe with a network of 11 National Forums , ten of them operating in the ten riparian States, towards achieving the NBD mission. (The Eritrea Forum is not functional currently)
NBD network is open to all civil society organizations involved in basin resources management and development within the NB region to join as either full, associate or honorary members.

3. BACKGROUND | NBD-Vision & Mission
Vision NBD’s vision is of a Nile Basin where there is sustainable social and economic development for all peoples of the Nile Basin, free of conflict, leading to achievement of justice, human rights, good governance, poverty eradication and protection of the environment. Mission NBD transforms lives by ensuring that a fully informed and basin-wide civil society develops and plays a key role in achieving the vision, through pro-active and critical influencing of projects, programmes and policies of the Nile Basin Initiative and other development processes.

4. OVERVIEW | NBD-Strategic Objectives
The NBD has its own four (4) Strategic objectives :
1. Develop organizational capacity for a functional, efficient, effective and dynamic NBD.
Improve communication, knowledge and information management among civil society organizations in the NB to strengthen civil society perspectives in development processes.
Support initiatives for sustainable integrated river basin management at all levels for livelihood improvement & development in the NB region.
4. Influence policy development for equitable utilization and sustainable management of the NB resources.

5. NBD Focus Areas
Focus Areas
Basin Wide Institutional Support
Engaging in Social and Climate Resilience
Water Resources Management
Energy
Environmental Protection & Management

6. NBD Guiding Principles
Guiding Principles 1. NBD recognizes that achieving policy change is a long-term process, requiring coordinated programme, advocacy, communications and fundraising work over many years. 2. Advocacy/(Dialogue platforms) work will be based on clear evidence and knowledge, supported by thorough research and analysis. 3. Advocacy/ (Dialogue platforms) activities and audiences will be clearly defined; advocacy messages will be accurate and delivered through appropriate media 4. NBD will engage in constructive dialogue with advocacy audiences on priority issues identified within the organization.

7. OVERVIEW | NBD-Past Development Partners
NBD was conceived in 2001, received funding support in 2002 and was established in 2003.
The NBD was established in 2003 to strengthen civil society participation in the NBI developmental processes and programmes with support from CIDA until May 2004. 
From November 2005 upto early 2010, DFID stepped in under management of IUCN, to support NBD enhanced civil society capacity to engage in and influence all NBI activities:
In Rwanda, the Rwanda National Discourse Forum (RNDF), worked in partnership with the then NBI programs EWAUP, ATP, Kagera Trans boundary Project, NTEAP and CBSI to sensitize and raise awareness on the Nile issues, especially water issues, and capacity building of various stakeholders. RNDF has undertaken several advocacy activities, promoting community participation and engagement in NBI programs in Rwanda. Various joint activities such us international, national and regional events have been conducted together with NBI. Such include; National Steering Committee members to project such as NTEAP, CBSI and the Kagera Transboundary Project where RNDF represented the local community benefits sharing and engagement within progress and implementation on the ground.
Community Involvement Studies to Monitor and Evaluate NBI engagement with grass roots communities were carried out, validated and published. These were done to exhibit the mutual working relationship between NBI and NBD at country level. Further, these studyies have been a basis of stakeholder mapping and identification for future joint working.

8. At national and regional level, NBD through RNDF celebrates jointly the Nile Day events. These are a symbol of the One Nile One Family philosophy and mutual working relationship. Emerging issues such as climate change, food security, water related issues, etc are discussed upon to forge a joint solution for the communities. The event is jointly facilitated (financially and technically).
In 2009, two local organization members of RNDF received financial grant of 20,000USD to carryout catchment protection activities in Nyamagabe and Rusumo.
May 2010, saw NBD receive direct funding for a 2 year DFID funded programme (May 2010 – April 2012, with a no-cost extension to Feb 2013) to promote and add value to Nile cooperation and development processes that will ultimately reduce poverty in the region. RNDF conducted four national stakeholder forums on Community Participation and Benefit in the Rusumo Hydro Project. The forums emphasized on key topics such as energy, water, food security, compensation of relocated communities and public participation on various nature conservation issues. National and Transboundary Advocacy documents on the RUSUMO Falls electrification project were also produced and shared during this phase. A concrete documentation and media engagement of facts on the ground along the Rusumo Electrification Project was facilitated by Nile Media Network in conjunction with Eastern Province of Rwanda Authorities, RNDF and NELSAP.

9. Continuation……..
A sub regional NEL region forum was organized and facilitated in Kigali by the RNDF together where NELSAP CU made presentation for their ongoing programs. This was an advocacy work on implementation of the regional Rusumo project in Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania, and contributed to the national governments agreeing to implement the Run off the River (RoR) option as the best option, affecting less people as compared to the Intermediate Development Scheme (IDS) that had been proposed earlier. The RoR option would affect only 685 households in the three countries, as opposed to 11,002 households that would have been affected by the IDS option. Other important issues included the CFA, benefits of cooperation on the Nile and the threats of unilateral development, gender participation in Nile development; and climate change impact on the Nile Basin.

10. NBD participation in NBI Activities Through the Current Development Partner
NBD is partnering with NBI through an MoU running 2014 – This MoU is the 3rd extension after two earlier MoUs
, NBD has support from the Corporation of International Waterways in Africa (CIWA) administered by World Bank.
Strengthening the NBD Secretariat functions: Building capacity for media communications, monitoring and evaluation of key activities
Strengthening communications and outreach: Enhance direct & horizontal communication within the network, and effective outreach to relevant stakeholders.
Capacity development of NBD members: Strengthen capacity of NBD members on key topics identified as priorities.

11. NBD Participation in NBI -Rwanda
Key Participation Points
National multi-stakeholder forums.
Web-based Information system, among members and upwards towards decision making.
Promotion of Awareness of Nile Cooperation through member activities.
Increase in NBD membership and engagement towards enhancing NBI’s development efforts in Rwanda.
Knowledge generation and research on key basin policy issues.
Operationalizing and concretization of the existing MoU between NBI and NBD at national level
Increase physical engagement of ongoing projects at community level (considering the Specific areas of cooperation within the current MoU).

12. Thank you * شكراً* Merci Murakoze!
One Nile – One Family
[ BURUNDI . DR CONGO . EGYPT . ERITREA . ETHIOPIA . KENYA . RWANDA . SOUTH SUDAN-SUDAN . TANZANIA . UGANDA ]