Panafrican News Agency (Dakar)

April 1, 2001
Posted to the web April 1, 2001

Khartoum, Sudan

The Nile Council of Ministers that comprises water
ministers from the nine Nile Basin states, has
endorsed development projects of the region's water,
hydroelectric and environmental resources, sources
said.

The move was made at a meeting held from 28 to 30
March in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

The projects would be forwarded to an international
donor forum known - the International Consortium for
Cooperation on the Nile (ICCON) - for possible
funding.

ICCON is spearheaded by the World Bank and includes
other donors such as the Canadian International
Development Agency and the UNDP, among others.

These bodies are expected to examine the projects,
referred to as 'the shared vision projects,' in a
meeting in Geneva next June.

According to Sudan's minister of Irrigation and Water
Resources Kamal Ali, who is chairman of the Council,
the projects seek to develop the region's irrigation
capabilities and hydroelectric power generation.

They also seek to eliminate environmental degradation,
construct water resources schemes, build scientific
research capabilities in the domain of water, train
personnel, and exchange data, develop water awareness
as well as prevent pollution.

The projects comprise two action programmes: the
Eastern Nile Subsidiary Action Programme (ENSAP), that
includes Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt on the one hand,
and the Equatorial Lakes Nile Subsidiary Action
Programme (ELNSAP) that groups Egypt, Sudan, Uganda,
DR Congo, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.

ENSAP provides for the construction of hydroelectric
projects in Berbera, Bara, Giad, Ukomo and Krajoy in
Ethiopia and similar power projects in Hamdab, Upper
Atbara River, Kajbar and Seteit in Sudan.

It also provides for the construction of water dams in
Tana, Debousa and Hamra in Ethiopia as well as phase
two of Kenana irrigation scheme and a number of water
pump stations in Sudan.

ENSAP projects also include erosion prevention in the
Blue Nile tributaries and a flood early warning
system.

ELNSAP projects include irrigation and drinking water
projects, fish resources development, protection of
the White Nile tributaries, Hyacinth control in Lake
Victoria and Kajera River, hydroelectric power
generation as well as the connection of the region's
electric networks with those of Sudan and Egypt.

The Council is expected to meet in Kampala, Uganda,
next May for final assessment of the projects prior to
the ICCON meeting.

Source:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200104010111.html