Trans-boundary Resources Management in East Africa Review of Water Sector Policies in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda

This report was prepared as part of the process to develop the Kagera Cooperative
Framework in the four riparian countries of Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
The work was commissioned in 2007, by the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). It reviews the
policies in the four riparian countries (Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) with
regard to integrated water resources management. It looks at past performance of the
water sector under the existing policy framework.
After 1991, the global water sector outlook changed rapidly, especially after the Dublin
Conference in 1992 where four powerful messages were given, which became the basis
for the Rio Agenda 21 and for the Millennium Vision-to-Action. First, that freshwater is a
finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life, development and the
environment i.e. one resource, to be holistically managed. Second, that water
development and management should be based on a participatory approach; involving
users, planners, and policy-makers at all levels i.e. manage water with people – and
close to people. Third, that women play a central role in the provision, management and
safeguarding of water. Lastly, that water has an economic value in all its competing uses
and should be recognized as an economic good – suggesting that after ensuring basic
human needs, allocate water to its highest value, and move towards full cost pricing
rational use, and recover costs.