Kisumu: East African Community (EAC) member states have endorsed a joint plan to strengthen maritime safety and curb pollution in Lake Victoria. The resolution was reached during the first extraordinary council of ministers' meeting of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) convened in Kisumu, where senior officials from partner states charted new measures to enhance safety, environmental protection, and sustainable use of the shared resource.
According to Kenya News Agency, the meeting, chaired by Kenya's Principal Secretary for East African Community (EAC) Dr. Caroline Karugu, on behalf of Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul, reached consensus on two key issues - the operationalization of the Lake Victoria Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and the allocation of £15 million (Sh2.2 billion) from the Government of Germany through KFW Development Bank to support pollution control and environmental sustainability efforts across the basin. Dr. Karugu stated that this initiative marks a milestone in ensuring the safety of communities dependent on the lake for transport, trade, and livelihoods.
The meeting, attended by representatives of ministers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan, resolved that the main Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre will be headquartered in Mwanza, Tanzania, with two subsidiary centres in Kisumu, Kenya, and Entebbe, Uganda. These centers will coordinate a network of 16 search and rescue stations to improve emergency response times and ensure faster rescue operations in the event of accidents and emergencies in the lake.
Dr. Karugu announced that a toll-free number has been secured, with partner states engaging telecommunications operators in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to integrate it into their networks to aid in search and rescue operations within the lake. She emphasized the importance of having a contact number for those navigating Lake Victoria to ensure safety and support economic growth.
The council also approved the use of £15 million (Sh2.2 billion) from Germany's KFW Bank to implement measures aimed at reducing pollution, rehabilitating wetlands, and strengthening waste management systems around the lake. LVBC Executive Secretary, Dr. Masinde Bwire, praised the ministers for their decisive guidance, describing the resolutions as a new chapter for regional cooperation.
Uganda's Permanent Secretary for Water and Environment, Mr. Alfred Okidi, highlighted the significance of regional integration, stating that Lake Victoria is vital for the region's shared destiny. He called on citizens to support pollution control efforts by adopting environmentally friendly practices.
From South Sudan, Undersecretary for Water Resources and Irrigation, Achier Manyuat, commended the meeting as a model of regional cooperation, emphasizing that the safety of one partner state translates into safety for the entire community. Rwanda's representative, Glory Mbabazi, lauded the establishment of the maritime rescue centres as a historic milestone for the region, showcasing the power of integration and collective strength.
Tanzania's Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Ludovick Nduhiye, reiterated his country's commitment to hosting the regional rescue coordination centre in Mwanza. He added that the government of Tanzania will second staff to the maritime center to ensure that operations commence at the earliest opportunity possible, underscoring the shared priorities of safety and pollution reduction among partner states.