Regional bodies overseeing the sustainable management of the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika basins have signed a five-year cooperation pact aimed at tackling growing climate change, pollution and biodiversity threats affecting millions of people across Eastern and Southern Africa.
The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), headquartered in Kisumu, and the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) formalised the agreement in Kigoma (Tanzania), committing to closer collaboration in managing transboundary water resources and protecting fragile ecosystems in the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika basins.
The Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), facilitated through the EAC4Nature project supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through GIZ, establishes a formal framework for cooperation between the two regional institutions to moot joint action as both lakes face mounting environmental pressures linked to climate change, rapid population growth and expanding economic activity.
The partnership aims to strengthen coordinated responses while promoting socio-economic development for communities that depend on the lakes for fishing, transport, water and livelihoods.
LVBC, a specialised institution of the East African Community (EAC) established under the 2003 Protocol for Sustainable Development of the Lake Victoria Basin, coordinates sustainable development and management of the Lake Victoria Basin. The Commission is headquartered in Kisumu and serves Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
LTA was established in 2008 by the governments of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia under the Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika. It oversees sustainable management of Lake Tanganyika and its natural resources.
Under the five-year agreement, the two bodies will collaborate on integrated water resources management through joint water assessment, monitoring and the development of sustainable water-use policies aimed at curbing overexploitation.
They will also implement joint initiatives on environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, including managing invasive species, controlling pollution and restoring degraded habitats.
The partnership further covers climate change adaptation and mitigation through research and the roll-out of resilience strategies, renewable energy promotion and sustainable land management practices.
It also provides for capacity building and knowledge sharing through joint training programmes, technical exchanges and regional workshops.
In addition, the agreement promotes community engagement and socio-economic development by supporting community-led livelihood initiatives and cross-border cooperation.
The two institutions will also strengthen disaster risk reduction measures, including early warning systems and coordinated responses to floods, droughts and other climate-related hazards.
Maritime safety and security will also be enhanced through measures to prevent pollution from shipping activities, share best practices and mobilise resources to improve safety standards on the lakes.
To ensure effective implementation, the MoC establishes a Joint Implementation Committee comprising two representatives from each institution.
The committee will coordinate work plans and budgets, oversee annual progress reporting and conduct biennial evaluations to assess impact and guide future collaboration.
The agreement will remain in force for five years and may be renewed by mutual consent.
In a statement to the media, LVBC Executive Secretary Dr Masinde Bwire and LTA Executive Director Sylvain Tusanga Mukanga reaffirmed their institutions’ commitment to strengthening regional cooperation in addressing shared environmental challenges.
The pact, they said signals renewed regional resolve to protect the two lake basins, which together support tens of millions of people but are increasingly under strain from climate variability, pollution and unsustainable resource use.
by Chris Mahandara
