East Africa: EAC4Nature Project launched to foster sustainable natural resources management in the region
The East African Community (EAC), in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU), today launched the EAC4Nature Project, a transformative three-year initiative designed to enhance sustainable natural resource management across the region.
The EAC4Nature Project, titled 'Support to Management of Nature-Based Solutions with the East African Community' will run from January 2025 to June 2028 with a total funding of 8 million euros (5.5 million Euros from BMZ and 2. 5 million Euros from the EU).
The groundbreaking project focuses on integrating Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) into regional policies, enhancing transboundary cooperation and strengthening the capacities of regional basin organisations — Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA), and Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin Authority (ABAKIR).
The overarching objective of the project is to bolster the capacity of key actors within the EAC to implement climate-resilient and gender-responsive nature-based solutions, ensuring regional environmental policies address both climate adaptation and community resilience. The project is commissioned by BMZ and co-financed by the EU with GIZ providing technical implementation support.
The EAC4Nature Project will focus on three (3) key areas, namely: (i) Integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into EAC policies and regulations while ensuring gender-sensitive approaches. (ii) Strengthening the institutional capacities of Lake Victoria Basin Commission and Lake Tanganyika Authority for effective NbS planning and coordination; and (iii) Enhancing information management to support climate-resilient water and environmental solutions.
Speaking during the official launch of the EAC4Nature Project in Entebbe, Uganda on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, H.E Veronica Nduva, the Executive Director of the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA), Eng. Richard Gatete, reaffirmed the EAC's commitment to integrating nature-based solutions into regional climate policies and frameworks.
'As we launch the EAC4Nature Project today, let us remember that this is not just a project; it is a call to action. It is a call to work together, across borders and sectors, to protect our natural wealth, build climate resilience and secure a sustainable future for the people of East Africa,' said Eng. Gatete.
Eng. Gatete hailed the invaluable support provided by the BMZ) and the EU, adding that such partnerships had been instrumental in driving transformative change across the region.
Eng. Gatete said the project will promote the use of Nature-Based Solutions to provide a transformative pathway to address climate change while enhancing biodiversity and improving livelihoods.
'Through the EAC4Nature Project, the region seeks to foster stronger partnerships between regional institutions, development partners, and communities to jointly safeguard ecosystems'', added Eng. Gatete.
Julia Kronberg, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Tanzania, emphasised Germany's strong partnership with the EAC in advancing climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, public health, trade and regional integration.
'Germany has an interest to build strong international partnerships to promote nature-based solutions and even more so nature-based resilience. We are proud to collaborate with the EAC and EU in addressing a triangle of climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss focusing on fresh-water nature-based solutions in and for East Africa', said Ms. Kronberg.
On behalf of the EU, Mr. Pierre-Yves Renaud, Manager for Energy, Water, Sanitation, and Environment at the EU Delegation to Burundi, reaffirmed the EU's long-standing commitment to sustainable water management and regional cooperation in the Great Lakes Region.
'Tanganyika Kivu Water Management (TAKIWAMA) reflects the EU's dedication to environmental sustainability, economic resilience, and transboundary water governance. We are proud to support regional institutions and partners in their efforts to protect water resources, enhance livelihoods, and advance regional integration,' said Mr. Renaud.
In her remarks, Eng. Coletha Ruhamya, the Deputy Executive Director of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) and Mr. Kwibisa Linywalii, the Director for Monitoring and Evaluation of Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) both underscored the importance of the project, highlighting its potential to enhance data-driven decision-making, strengthen institutional cooperation and foster innovative approaches to managing the shared water resources and ecosystems within the region.
On his part, Mr. Jean Paul Nyembo Mwamba, the Coordinating Director from Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin Authority (ABAKIR) said that the project was not just about conservation but also integrating nature-based solutions in the regional policies, frameworks, and practices to ensure sustainable natural resource management and climate resilience.
The EAC4Nature Project builds on the 6th EAC Development Strategy, which prioritises transboundary environmental management and climate resilience. It also aligns with the EAC Gender Mainstreaming Policy and IUCN standards for Nature-Based Solutions, ensuring that women, youth, and vulnerable communities actively participate in project implementation and decision-making.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community (EAC).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
12 hours ago
- The National
Provocation in Jerusalem will not deter the dream of a Palestinian state
In diplomacy, as in life, actions have consequences. It should not be surprising, therefore, that this week's loutish display of impunity by juvenile delinquents on Jerusalem Day led to international rebuke for Israel, including the country's ambassador to the UAE being summoned over what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called "deplorable and offensive" attacks on Palestinians in the city. As ugly as those scenes were – throngs of young men chanting racist slogans as they were allowed to harass Palestinian residents by uncharacteristically passive Israeli police officers – they were arguably less provocative than the sight of Israeli ministers holding an extraordinary Cabinet meeting in Silwan, a Palestinian neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem. The fact that these developments were followed by official confirmation on Thursday that 22 new settlements had been approved in the West Bank suggests that Israel's current leadership feels it can weather any criticism. Such an assumption would be a mistake. While Gaza burns, the West Bank remains under a violent military occupation and the streets of historic Jerusalem are overrun by thuggish supremacists, many Israelis are taking to the streets to demand peace and a different course for their country. The Israeli government's relationships with allies and partners continue to fray. The EU – Israel's largest trading partner – is to review its association agreement. On Wednesday, the UK told a UN Security Council meeting that it strongly opposed Israel's 'wholly disproportionate' actions in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire. On the same day, US President Donald Trump – usually a firm backer of Israel – said he had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against carrying out a military strike on Iran that would set back Washington's efforts to broker a new nuclear deal. Scenes of starving Gazans corralled behind metal fences and children fleeing burning schools are spurring criticism of Israel far beyond the world of diplomacy and politics. Increasing numbers of high-profile artists, musicians, filmmakers and performers are calling for an immediate ceasefire, reflecting the reality that Israel's leadership is increasingly losing the battle for public opinion. The voices of Jews inside of Israel and in across the world calling for a ceasefire and for a path to peace must not be ignored. Scenes of starving Gazans corralled behind metal fences and children fleeing burning schools are spurring criticism of Israel far beyond the world of diplomacy and politics At the same time, the process of creating more so-called facts on the ground, such as the new settlements or the Silwan meeting – attempts to consolidate and normalise the illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank – are running into the brick wall of political reality. Despite all attempts to deter it, the international community is not abandoning the idea of a Palestinian state. Last Sunday, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed that his would be the latest EU member to recognise Palestine. Next month will see a major UN conference dedicated to the two-state solution. In the UAE too, the need for a political settlement was made clear by Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, who told the Arab Media Summit on Wednesday that the Emirates remained committed to the Palestinian cause as well as a two-state solution. If there is one message that can cut through the deluge of suffering this war has produced, it is the need for serious re-engagement with the idea of peace. A ceasefire and a return to political dialogue that can realise the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis alike ought not to be considered a pipe dream. It is, in fact, what the vast majority of those affected by this conflict, and their honest brokers, want.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
Cyprus to pay Syrian asylum seekers to return home
Cyprus is to launch a repatriation scheme for Syrian families who revoke their asylum claims, allowing one adult member to stay on the island and work, a minister said on Thursday. Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides said the financial incentives, beginning next month, would be for a voluntary return to Syria for families seeking asylum or those with international protection. He told reporters the scheme was being launched in coordination with the European Union. EU member Cyprus is one of the largest receivers of Syrian migrants per capita. Ioannides noted that Syria was "undergoing a critical transitional period" after Bashar Al Assad's ouster in December. "The success of the reconstruction depends on political will, international cooperation, and, most importantly, the active involvement of the Syrian people themselves," he said. Officials in Cyprus say 2,500 Syrians have withdrawn asylum applications or renounced their protection status, and around 2,400 have returned home. The repatriation scheme allows one person per family or couple to receive a special residence and work permit valid for two years. Returning family members will receive 2,000 euros ($2,270) for the spouse and 1,000 euros per child. The scheme will operate from June 2 to August 31. Cyprus granted asylum to thousands of Syrians who fled the civil war there that began in 2011. The eastern Mediterranean island is less than 200 kilometres from the Syrian and Lebanese coasts, and has long been a route for refugees seeking a better life in Europe.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
EU chief calls for 'independent Europe' amid global turmoil
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called for a "truly independent Europe" at a time of seismic change on the world stage, as she received the International Charlemagne Prize on Thursday. Accepting the award in the German city of Aachen, she urged "a new form of Pax Europaea for the 21st century, one that is shaped and managed by Europe itself". The International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen has been awarded since 1950 to individuals or institutions that have made outstanding contributions to Europe and European unification. "What we once relied on as an international order has rapidly descended into an international disorder," von der Leyen said. She pointed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine that shattered old certainties after decades in which the US-led Nato alliance had "led to a form of complacency among us". "We thought we could rely on a peace dividend," she said about the post-Cold War era when European defence spending dropped off. "But these times are over," she said, warning that "the world is again marked by imperial ambitions and imperial wars". "Adversaries of our open democratic societies have rearmed and remobilised," she said. "There is no greater example of that than (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's brutal and ruthless war against Ukraine." Pointing to moves by the EU and member states to pour hundreds of billions of euros into defence spending, she said "times are changing and Europe with it". "We are doing this to put everything into defending peace," said the European Commission chief. "A new international order will emerge in this decade. If we do not want to simply accept the consequences this will have for Europe and the world, we must shape this new order." She added that "history does not forgive either dithering or delaying. Our mission is European independence." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took office in early May, vowed at the awards ceremony that "Germany is committed to this strong, united Europe". "We will not stand on the sidelines when it comes to preserving and strengthening freedom and democracy, the rule of law, and human dignity on our continent." Merz said "the Germans are ready to take far-reaching decisions at the Nato summit in June, decisions that do justice to Europe's responsibility for its own security." Berlin has earlier signalled it supports a plan to raise defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP and security-related infrastructure outlays to 1.5 per cent.
