THE Nile Basin Initiative together with its member states (Burundi, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) will on December 6 to 8, 2009 hold celebrations to mark 10 years of cooperation and progress in the sustainable management of the Nile River water resources.

The celebrations will take place  in Dar-es- Salaam  under the theme: The Nile Basin Initiative- A decade of cooperation and progress.

The celebrations will be officiated by the Vice President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein on December 7, 2009.

The three-day event will bring together at least 500 NBI stakeholders including government leaders, members of parliament, civil society, media, academia, business community, the youth, women, elders, lawyers and international development partners.

Among other things, the 10th anniversary celebrations provide NBI with the occasion to exhibit its achievements over the past decade and demonstrate investment opportunities and future prospects in the Nile Basin.

Over the decade, the Nile Basin member states have come together to build a knowledge base covering the river, its wetlands and tributaries and the livelihoods, opportunities and vulnerabilities of the 160 million people who live within the Nile Basin.

The NBI has also mobilized more than $1bn in investments to support improved access to energy as well as water resources and environmental services.  Of critical importance is the fact that the past decade has seen the emergence of regional thinking and collaborative decision-making among the Nile Basin member states.

High level presenters and discussants will lead discussions on four topics   chosen for their significance to the sustainable development of the Nile Basin resources, focusing on energy, agriculture and benefit sharing and trans-boundary river management. There will also be a lighter part of the celebrations in the form of cultural performances and entertainment for kids.

Beyond marking years of cooperation and progress, the 10th anniversary provides the opportunity for the Nile Basin countries and their international partners to renew their commitment to continued development of the Nile Basin as an integrated economic space built around collaborative management of the Nile River, the region’s most critical resource.