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Taking the Nile Basin Discourse to the next level

View from the Field:

Taking the Nile Basin

Discourse to the next

level

A civil engineer, Matemu also has a master’s
degree in international and national water
law. He recently published a book, the
Without nature, we are nothing,” Legal Obligations and Challenges to
Manage Nile Transboundary Waters.
says Sylvester Matemu, who became
Matemu’s dedication to improving
head of the Nile Basin Discourse earlier transboundary water resources
cooperation also stems from the fact
this year. “Without nature, we cannot that Tanzania shares 14 water bodies with
its eight neighbors—the highest number
of shared water bodies in SSA.
do anything.
Cooperation, therefore, is not an option,
he says, it’s imperative.
That perspective underlies Matemu’s A well-rounded career
passion for protecting water resources in the water sector A model for other
and involving communities in gathering river basins
data about water and adapting to Matemu, 66, is well-positioned to take the
climate change. helm of the NBD as its regional manager. “Governments alone will not be able to
He has worked on water issues from achieve water resources management
CIWA previously supported NBD with several vantage points—including at the without involving communities,” he says.
projects totaling over US$5 million and is governmental and nongovernmental levels. “Empowering citizens will strengthen
currently developing a US$2.5 million grant cooperation and sustainability in the
to enhance community engagement at the Matemu worked for 27 years in the public Nile Basin.”
grassroots level for climate resilience. water sector of his home country,
Through capacity building and other Tanzania, including as assistant director in Matemu’s vision for the NBD is to “ensure
activities, the new project will engage the Ministry of Water, where he that it becomes an example on the
communities in water and climate data coordinated negotiations on African continent of advocating for
generation to enhance water resources transboundary water agreements and communities, not only through top-down
management planning, disaster supervised the preparation and execution dialogue—bringing policies down to
preparedness, and cooperation. NBD is of transboundary management and citizens—but also through bottom-up”
committed to increasing the participation development plans. communication.
of women in climate action and water
policy decision making because it can He most recently was the NBI’s executive “I want NBD to become No. 1 in Africa in
facilitate the creation of more sustainable director and served as president of the civil society engagement and working
climate-resilient communities. African Network of Basin Organizations. closely with policymakers,” he says.

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