South Sudan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Manawa Peter Gatkuoth has been taken selected as the Chairman of Nile Council of Ministers’ (Nile-COM). The seat that now heads to South Sudan was initially held by Rwanda.
South Sudan hosted the 29th Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-COM) meeting on November 26, in which the former chair Dr Mujawamariya Jeanne, the Rwandan Minister of Environment, handed over the chairmanship.
Speaking during the Nile-com meeting in Juba, Manawa Peter Gatkuoth, the new incoming chair called on the Nile-com colleagues to cooperate in order for the region to have a unit and enjoy the common benefits of the River Nile.
He promised to engage with all the Nile Basin countries in order to achieve mutual understanding on the issues of water sharing responsibility.
“As we come together as Nile Basin countries, I must underscore that it was only our working together that would help us to achieve what we are hoping to do and enjoy our resources,” he said.
On her part, Dr Mujawamariya Jeanne the outgoing chair reaffirmed her commitment to continuing supporting the new leader and urged the member states to cooperate for the benefit of the region.
“The Nile Council of Ministers meeting is an annual event that meets to evaluate the programs of NBI and provide strategic guidance for the future operation of the institution and the achievement of its overall goals and objectives.”
“Therefore, I promise our atmosphere support for you in whatever way you wish to make our communities and nation enjoy the benefits of Nile water,” she said.
Meanwhile, Eng Seleshi Bekele, the Ethiopian Minister for Water, Irrigation and Energy, stressed that such kinds of forums will make the Nile Basin countries think beyond the just cooperation within the region but the entire community as well.
He said Ethiopia understands the future life of its sisterly Nile Basin countries, therefore, promising to create rooms for engagement as ways of prosperity.
“The Nile Basin forums like Nile-Com and Nile TAC would make us share the ideas, share a resource, and share many other things in such a way that we will have shared prosperity among each other,”
The Nile-COM, comprised of Ministers in charge of Water Affairs in the 10 Member States, is the highest political and decision-making body of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI).