Hallo,
Kindly urgently view the attached Press Release.
EAC Countries to enter new covenant to control Lake Victoria waters use and agreed lake levels
Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community (EAC)
Arusha International Conference Centre
Ngorongoro Wing, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 1096, Arusha
Tanzania.
www.eac.int
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Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:05:46 -0800 [03:05:46 AM CST]
Forwarded by: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: EAC PRESS RELEASE
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PRESS RELEASE
EAC COUNTRIES TO ENTER NEW COVENANT TO CONTROL
LAKE VICTORIA WATERS USE AND AGREED LAKE LEVELS
EAC Headquarters, Arusha, 10 November 2008: The East African Community Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) have agreed to adopt a covenant on monitoring mechanism for the environmental management of Lake Victoria water resources.
The 19thExtraordinary Meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers held at the Zanzibar Beach Resort, Zanzibar on 10 November 2008 agreed to establish “an independent and transparent mechanism for monitoring water release and major abstractions under which the release and abstractions can be measured at all times by representatives of the Partner State of the Lake Victoria Basin’’.
The covenant which the EAC Partner States have now agreed to conclude with due dispatch will require the Partner States to develop, implement and be accountable to a legally binding Water Release Policy on the Lake Victoria and its basin.
The Council of Ministers directed the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) Secretariat to finalize the Water Release and Abstraction Policy and develop a legal mechanism to ensure compliance with the Agreed Curve Limit; and abstractions from the Basin that are equitable and reasonable. The Partner States further agree that the envisaged legal mechanisms shall include dispute resolution procedures as already provided under the Treaty for the Establishment of the East Africa Community.
The decision on the Lake Victoria covenant is among the decisions made by the 19th Extraordinary Council Meeting contained in the Report of the Meeting signed by Hon. Stanislas Kamanzi, Minister of Natural Resources, Rwanda; Hon. Dr Diodorus Kamala, Minister of East Africa Co-operation, Tanzania; Hon. Bakevyamusaya Venerand, Minister of Regional Integration and EAC Affairs, Burundi, Hon. Namunyangu Byakatonda, Minister of State, Ministry of Water Development, Uganda ; and Hon. Peter Munya, Assistant Minister, Ministry of East African Community, Kenya who attended the Meeting.
Linked to the time frame of the coming into force of the USD 200 million 2nd phase of the World Bank funded Lake Victoria Environment Management Project (LVEMP II), now in the final stages of negotiations, the conclusion by the EAC Partner States of the covenant should be not later than six months after 31 March 2009, the schedule date of effectiveness of LVEMP II. The development of the Water Release and Abstraction Policy will be realized within 12 months of this decision of the Council.
The covenant on monitoring mechanisms for the environmental management of the Lake Victoria waters will be included in the EAC –World Bank Grant Agreement for LVEMP II. The covenant will also be included in any other financial agreements within the LVEMP II.
The EAC Partner States and the international community lobby for the environmental preservation and protection of the Lake Victoria environment have over past near decade been seized of the environmental degradation of the Lake, in particular the declining of the level of Lake Victoria waters.
In related matter, the 19th Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers considered the proposed amendment of the Lake Victoria Bill, 2008 that has been tabled in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). The Extraordinary Meeting of the Council upheld the decision of the Sectoral Council of Ministers for the Lake Victoria Basin of 23 May 2008 maintaining the Institutional Framework contained in the Bill which is in harmony with the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community and the Protocol for the Sustainable Development of the Lake Victoria Basin.
The Extraordinary Council Meeting directed the LVBC Secretariat to convene a Consultative Meeting between the Sectoral Council for the Lake Victoria Basin and the Members of EALA Committee on Agriculture Tourism and Natural Resources to exchange views on the divergence of the proposed Amendment Bill which is in harmony with the EAC Treaty and the Protocol for the Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria Basin.
The Extraordinary Council Meeting also considered the East African Community Budget Bill 2008 which has been introduced in the East Legislative Assembly for debate and enactment into law. In a conciliatory move, the Extraordinary Council Meeting recommended to the Legislative Assembly to review the East African Community Bill, 2008 to ensure that the Bill complies with the provisions of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East Africa Community. The Council directed the Secretariat to convene an inter-organ Consultative Forum for exchange of views on the different roles and functions of the EAC organs as soon as possible.
Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
EAC
Arusha