E. African Nations Sign Lake Victoria Devt Pact

Mar 04, 2001

Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania have signed a contract with Hamburg Port Training Institute (HPTI), a German consultancy firm, to develop reliable infrastructure on Lake Victoria, reports Kezio Musoke.

Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania have signed a contract with Hamburg Port Training Institute (HPTI), a German consultancy firm, to develop reliable infrastructure on Lake Victoria, reports Kezio Musoke. The US$500,000 (about sh900m) contingency plan, including development of safe navigation to facilitate socio-economic development, is provided by the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility and the three governments. The contract was signed on Friday at the National Secretariat of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project in Entebbe. It was signed by the three permanent secretaries, Dr. Muhammad Ishahakia from Kenya, A.R.M.S Rajabu from the office of the Vice-President in Tanzania, Engineer B.K. Kabanda from the Ministry of Lands, Water and Environment, and the Managing Director of the Hamburg Port Institute, Mr. Arlt Wolfhard. The consultancy work will commence on March 10, 2001, and will run for 12 months until March 9, 2002. Kabanda yesterday said signing the contract was one of the major steps taken by the three East African states to revive the East African Cooperation, which was signed early this year. He said with the development on Lake Victoria comes an increased risk of accidental pollution and spilling of water soluble chemicals which the three governments must overcome during the implementation of the programme. "This project is a comprehensive development programme being implemented jointly by the governments of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda," he said. "It is addressing a complex set of managerial, scientific, technical and institutional environmental issues across the three countries like management of wetlands, catchment afforestation, industrial and municipal wastes, water hyacinth control and capacity building," Kabanda said. Wolfhard said the consultancy would include reviewing of toxic chemical and oil spill contingency plans and how and when these plans would be put into operation at national and regional levels. Ends

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