EU commits sh31.8bn to ecosystem restoration in East Africa

The European Union (EU), in collaboration with Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, has committed sh31.8 billion (€8 million) towards ecosystem management in the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika basins. 

These basins, shared by Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are crucial to regional environmental sustainability.

The funding will support a project named EAC4Nature, which focuses on nature-based solutions in partnership with the East African Community (EAC).

The announcement was made by Alicia Van den Boom, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy in Uganda, during the closing of a three-day workshop aimed at harmonising the implementation strategy of the newly launched project.

The launch and workshop, held at the Imperial Resort Hotel in Entebbe, concluded on March 20, 2025, Thursday.

According to Van den Boom, the three-year project aims to integrate nature-based solutions into the political and regulatory frameworks of the East African Community, with a particular focus on gender-sensitive aspects. She highlighted that the project reflects a shared vision between the EAC, partner states, and development partners to ensure ecosystems continue to provide essential services to communities.

Julius Mwambu, director of productive and services affairs at the EAC Secretariat, stated that the project aligns with ongoing environmental challenges such as rising temperatures and extreme climate events.

He noted that the EAC Secretariat, which is mandated to coordinate regional climate change policies, has already established river basin organisations for the Victoria and Tanganyika basins.

These include the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Lake Tanganyika Authority, and the Lake Kivu & Rusizi River Basin Authority (ABAKIR).

Simon Kiarie, acting principal environment and natural resources officer at the EAC Secretariat, emphasised that East Africa faces significant climate change impacts, including rising temperatures projected to increase by 2.5°C by 2050, extreme weather events, and resource depletion, leading to food insecurity and water scarcity.

"Rapid population and economic growth drive unsustainable agricultural practices, soil erosion, and sedimentation. These challenges degrade agricultural lands and water quality, intensifying vulnerability to climate impacts," Kiarie noted.

Meanwhile, Jean Baptiste Havugimana, the project coordinator, expressed optimism about EAC4Nature, stating that it will empower local communities to implement local-based solutions.

"We are going to put in place early warning systems in case of natural catastrophes but, most importantly, empower local communities around the targeted basins to control such natural disasters," Havugimana said.

The project targets a population of approximately 65 million people in the Victoria and Tanganyika basins, 60% of whom will be women.