Nile Basin Discourse

Today, the NBD Chair Ms. Aynalem Ashebir participated at the *Sululta Water and Hydro-diplomacy Conference (March 23-24, 2026)*, a high-level forum convened by the Ministry of Water and Energy in Ethiopia under the theme "Hydro-diplomacy and Regional Cooperation for Sustainable Water and Energy Development and Management." Her participation reinforced NBD's commitment to inclusive, people-centered trans-boundary water governance.

During a panel discussion, she addressed the critical role of civil society in integrating gender perspectives into regional cooperation frameworks and amplifying women’s voices in trans-boundary water governance, emphasizing that meaningful inclusion is central to sustainable water diplomacy.

Her presentation highlighted a multi-level approach where CSOs act as a bridge between communities and policymakers, promote gender-responsive policies through data and advocacy, and empower women with the skills and platforms needed to actively shape water governance processes.

Welcoming a New Board — A New Chapter for the Nile Basin Discourse 🌍💧

Following the General Assembly held on 16 February 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda, the Nile Basin Discourse ushered in a new Board to guide its next phase of growth and regional engagement.

Ms. Aynalem Ashebir Gebrehiwot of Ethiopia was elected as Board Chairperson, succeeding Ms. Verdiane Nyiramana of Rwanda. Together with the new Board, she will provide leadership and strategic direction to strengthen civil society voices and advance cooperation across the Nile Basin over the next two years.

As Executive Director of Agri Service Ethiopia, Aynalem brings extensive experience in civil society leadership and regional dialogue. Her leadership also marks an important step forward for women in water governance, reinforcing the critical role women play in shaping inclusive and sustainable water decisions.

Congratulations to the new Board and to Chair Aynalem on this important responsibility.

The 9th NBD General Assembly Heads to Kigali

On 16 February 2026, the Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) will convene its 9th General Assembly (GA) in Kigali, Rwanda. This biennial high-level gathering will bring together 30 delegates representing NBD’s 10 National Discourse Forums (NDFs) across the Nile riparian countries to form the organisation’s highest decision-making body.

The General Assembly serves as a critical governance platform, reviewing progress and accountability from the Regional Board, setting the strategic direction for the years ahead, and electing a new Board to steer NBD through the next two-year cycle.

As civil society leaders from across the Nile basin meet to reflect, decide, and renew leadership, the Assembly reinforces a shared commitment to cooperation, dialogue, and sustainable management of the Nile’s resources from a citizen’s perspective.

Stay tuned for updates from Kigali as the NBD family comes together to shape a collective future.

**Call for Expressions of Interest for the position of Regional Manager – Nile Basin Discourse (NBD)**

NBD is seeking a dynamic, results oriented Regional Manager to provide strategic leadership, strengthen regional impact, and drive quality programme delivery across the Nile Basin. This is a pivotal role under NBD’s expanded regional mandate, requiring strong coordination, stakeholder engagement, and leadership.

📌 *Deadline for submision:* Friday, 6 February 2026 | 17:00 hrs EAT

Qualified candidates from the Nile Basin region are invited to submit an EOI and CV.

👉 Full details and ToR available on our website: https://bit.ly/4pQ7KU2

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 (𝗠𝗔𝗥) 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶 𝘀𝘂𝗯-𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆, 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀-𝗡𝘇𝗼𝗶𝗮, 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮

NBD, through the Kenya Nile Discourse Forum, has completed a four-day community sensitisation programme for the villages of Lukesi, Lukhome and Mwitha in Saboti Subcounty, Trans-Nzoia, Kenya.

The outreach strengthened community awareness and ownership of the Lukesi Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) clean water Project, giving residents a clearer understanding of the project’s benefits, potential risks, governance structures, and their role in sustaining the project. The community also formed a new Water User Committee (WUC) named “LuKeMwi” - a name drawn from the three villages - to lead site management and coordinate priority actions after project handover.

The Lukesi MAR project is one of **five transboundary pilot sites under the regional project “Enhancing Conjunctive Management of Surface and Groundwater Resources in Selected Transboundary Aquifers,” implemented by the Nile Basin Initiative and UNDP Africa , with support from Global Environment Facility.

As part of this initiative, Nile Basin Discourse is leading community-level engagement for the project - raising awareness, fostering local ownership, and strengthening the long-term sustainability of shared water resources.



📍 Saboti, Trans-Nzoia County
📅 8–12 December 2025

🌍 NBD at the XIX World Water Congress — Marrakesh, Morocco

NBD participated in the XIX World Water Congress held in Marrakesh, Morocco, bringing together over 2,000 delegates from 80 countries.

In partnership with IWMI and IFPRI, NBD co-hosted a special session on "Novel Approaches to Nexus Management in Shared River Basins."

Our Regional Manager, Eng. Matemu, presented NBD's work on transboundary multi-stakeholder platforms - receiving strong appreciation and interest from organizations including FAO, AMCOW, the World Bank (MENA), INBO, IWMI, and IFPRI.

A great moment of visibility and new collaboration opportunities for NBD! 💧✨

🌿 NBD Concludes First Phase of Stakeholder Consultations in Sio-Siteko & Mara Basins 🌿

NBD has successfully completed the first round of stakeholder consultations for the Citizen-Led Data Generation initiative under the NCSCR Project, covering Sio-Siteko (Kenya–Uganda) and Mara (Kenya–Tanzania) wetlands.

Communities, CSOs, youth, women, and local leaders actively contributed to identifying key wetland challenges, priority data needs, and locally grounded solutions. Technical sessions and field visits, including in Tanzania–Mara, provided valuable insights into environmental pressures, climate impacts, and ongoing community-driven conservation efforts.

With this first phase complete, NBD is moving into the next stage: reconnaissance and prioritisation of challenges to design practical citizen-led monitoring tools and interventions for stronger wetland governance.

🌍 *Join Us for the Nile Basin Information Services Webinar!*
🗓️ 20 November 2025 | 🕒 3:00 PM EAT

NBI and NBD are hosting an exciting webinar showcasing a suite of cutting-edge Nile Basin Information Systems; from early warning systems and hydrological monitoring tools to analytical dashboards, climate databases, and e-learning platforms.

If you work in water resources, climate resilience, data management, support community resilience, or regional cooperation, this is a session you don’t want to miss.

🔗 *Register here:* https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-p3uC37eTFiH0dU8vKefHA
📎 *Flyer attached*

NBD Advances Citizen-Led Data Efforts in the Sio-Siteko Basin

This week, NBD held stakeholder consultations in the Sio-Siteko Basin, a vital transboundary wetland shared by Uganda and Kenya under the NCSCR project's Citizen-Led Data Generation and Management initiative.

The consultations in Busia District, Uganda, gathered insights that will guide the design of a locally grounded data framework aimed at improving wetland management and sustainability.

Key outcomes included stronger community commitment, alignment on priority data needs, identification of capacity gaps, and agreement on practical approaches for inclusive data collection and use. These inputs will help ensure that communities play a central role in monitoring, protecting, and restoring their shared wetland ecosystems.

Next stop ➡️ Kenya, as NBD continues fostering collaboration across borders for sustainable wetland management. 💧