East African Community (EAC) partner states are set to benefit from USD 7.3 million approved for regional activities of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project Phase II (LVEMP II).LVEMP II is an EAC project meant to improve collaborative transboundary management of the Lake Victoria Basin and reduce environmental stresses like pollution and catchment degradation. The 5th Meeting of the Regional Project Steering Committee (RPSC) of LVEMP II held this week in Kigali approved a budget of USD 7.3 million for the regional activities during Financial Year 2012-2013.“In Rwanda, just like in other partner states, the intention of this project is to improve collaboration and keep the natural resources of the Lake Victoria Basin healthy and productive,” Charles-Martin Jjuuko, the Communications and Development Awareness Officer at the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) told The Sunday Times yesterday.Rwanda has got 20,550 square kilometers of the total catchment area of the Lake Victoria Basin which covers 180,950 square kilometers.Some of the activities for which the budget was approved include; the operationalisation of the regional strategy to control water hyacinth in selected sites and the promotion of cleaner production technologies in industries in the Lake Victoria Basin. Jjuuko said that for the duration of LVEMP II, Rwanda has got 15 million USD from World Bank for national activities.Ina separate interview, Dr. Rose Mukankomeje, the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), said the funds will cater for a component on watershed management which involves restoration of wetlands and riparian vegetation.“Under restoration of wetlands and riparian vegetation, Rwanda will develop detailed sub catchment management plans for Gikondo and Nyabugogo wetland system currently occupied by an industrial park,” she said.She added that there will also be rehabilitatation of river banks of critical tributaries of Nyabarongo river and also contribute to the ongoing rehabilitation of Rweru and Mugesera wetland complex.Other activities under the USD 7.3 million budget include; the first phase of the development of a water resources management Plan for Lake Victoria, a Water Resources Information System (WRIS) for monitoring surface water, groundwater and water quality.The RPSC is the committee that provides overall policy guidance to ensure that LVEMP II project components and activities implemented nationally blend as intended to fulfill the regional objectives of the project.
