Abbay Basin Implementation Platform Established to Sustainably Manage, Tap Its Potential

Addis Ababa, April 11, 2023 (FBC) – Abbay Basin Administration office announced the establishment of Abbay Basin Implementation Platform in order to utilize the basin’s potential and manage it sustainably. 

The office established Abbay Basin Implementation Platform and signed a Memorandum of Understanding today with stakeholders from Oromia, Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz regional states to implement the basin plan.

The basin plan which was prepared in collaboration with pertinent stakeholders and universities will be implemented for the next 20 years, it was indicated.

Head of Abbay Basin Administration Office, Yewendwesen Mengistu said the Basin Planning is the starting point for managing river basins in a sustainable manner.

The head elaborated that the Abbay River Basin is the first of the 12 basins in Ethiopia for which a River Basin Organization has been created.

Thus, organized basin information and collaboration among relevant stakeholders in the basin play a decisive role in order to guide and support the plan and water management functions properly, he elaborated.

The head added that the basin plan assesses socio-economic, water resources, and environmental  risks, among others.

Indicating the existence of 2.5 million hectares of irrigation potential and 38 percent of hydropower in the basin with 65 percent of arable land, he stressed the need to have a comprehensive and long term basin plan.

Yewendwesen urged the regional states to implement the plan effectively.

Head of Basin Plan Desk, Yohannes Melak said on his part said that the basin plan is imperative to ensure equity among upstream and downstream areas and different administrative regions, environmental protection  and other developments in the basin.

This basin plan is a coherent multidisciplinary approach to managing basin water resources and their users in order to identify and satisfy social, economic and environmental priorities.

Moreover, he elaborated that basin planning needs to balance competing needs and interest from the basin water resources and promote alignment and joint action between the institutions with overlapping mandates and interest related basin management.

The basin plan mainly focused on management, he said, adding it is pivotal to strengthen coordination and integration among stakeholders in the basin.

Water and Energy Minister advisor, Motuma Mekasa said Abbay Basin has a high population and surface water resources that needs a lot of attention in terms of its economic importance.

He emphasized the significance of creating a balanced water distribution among the users of the water resources in the basin and establishing a sustainable water resource management system.

Since basin development is not effective with only one institution, cooperation among the regions and the active participation of the stakeholders is vital in order to change the plan of the basin into action, he stressed.

Abbay Basin Administration office has been established with aims to make better use of the potentials of the basin for the socio-economic and sustainable development of its inhabitants in accordance with Integrated Water Resource Management principles.

Representatives from regional states expressed their commitment to implement the plan for the benefit of the communities in the basin and beyond, according to ENA.