February is interested in the history of the voices of Nile Basin communities, as the network has elected a new governing board. Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Action (SDHA) participated in this process, represented by its Legal Representative, Dr Jean Pierre Hakizimana.
Happened in Kigali, Rwanda, on 16 February 2026, the exiting governing board explored the achievements realised by the network in the period of two years of governance and charted ways of improving the work in the Nile Basin region.
The primary goal of the regional meeting was to gather the General Assembly of the Nile Basin Discourse, elect new leadership, and assess institutional progress. During the elections, Rwanda was chosen for the Vice Presidency of the NBD at the regional level. This marks a significant milestone in the country’s contribution to the dialogue on regional water governance.
The Nile Basin Discourse is a civil society platform that brings together national civil society umbrella organisations from ten riparian Nile Basin countries, namely Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Alongside Poor Women’s Development Network and Benimpuhwe organisation, SDHA was a delegate to the assembly and played a critical role in discussions, which contributed to the validation of the report.
Opening the convening, Mr Philippe, Director of Water at the Ministry of Environment, thanked Nile Basin Discourse and its chapter in Rwanda for efforts to advance water resources governance in the Nile Riparian countries.
The Nile Basin Discourse has been under the leadership of Ms Verdiane Nyiramana for the last two consecutive terms. As she was passing the baton to Ms Aynalem Ashebir – Ethiopia, the newly elected chairperson, Verdiane expressed her gratitude to the members for their support of the outgoing board. This support significantly contributed to amplifying the voices of communities in the Nile Basin.
SDHA is an active member of the Nile Basin Discourse Forum – Rwanda (NBDF Rwanda). The SDHA’s Dr Jean Pierre Hakizimana serves as a member of the National Committee of the Nile Basin Discourse Forum, Rwanda
Before the Regional Meeting, a joint team from the World Bank and the NBD Regional Secretariat conducted field visits to community-based projects across Rwanda. During this mission, SDHA-supported projects and beneficiaries in Muhanga District were visited and selected as learning and demonstration sites in IABM coeprative-Muhanga
SDHA reaffirms its commitment to sharing experiences, learning from sister organizations in Rwanda and abroad, and contributing to inclusive, sustainable, and participatory governance of shared water resources within the Nile Basin.