The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative for Uganda, Ms. Elsie G. Attafuah, paid a courtesy call to Eng. Sylvester A. Matemu, the Executive Director of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) Secretariat on May 19, 2022. The cordial meeting was an opportunity to strengthen a longstanding relationship between the two organisations which dates back to 1967 – when UNDP was instrumental in supporting the first Hydromet Project – to today, where together with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNDP is supporting a five-year (2020-2025) NBI-implemented groundwater project. The aim of this project is to raise awareness and improve the understanding of available groundwater resources and demonstrate how to optimise the joint use of surface and ground waters. As part of her courtesy call, Ms. Attafuah handed over equipment worth $84,000 to NBI, which will facilitate data management and also build capacity in seven Nile Basin countries where the groundwater project is being implemented. She emphasised that, “NBI is Africa,” adding that water has always been at the centre of the work UNDP does and indicated that she is keen on strengthening the partnership between UNDP and NBI. To cap off what she indicated would not be her only visit to NBI, Ms. Attafuah planted a tree in the backyard facing Lake Victoria, which is where the NBI Centre of Excellence will be constructed. Maroushka F. Kanywani,
Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist
Nile-SEC, ENTEBBE