A new initiative for the Lake Tanganyika basin : the LT-WATSAN Programme

Initied by UN-Habitat, the Lake Tanganyika - Water, Sanitation and Environmental Management Project (LT-WATSAN Project) will take full advantage of experiences and lessons learnt from Lake Victoria - WATSAN under UN-HABITAT, indicated Mr. Robert GOODWIN, Chief LV Section WATSAN / UN HABITAT. This was mentioned in the meeting between Lake Tanganyika Authority Secretariat (LTA), its projects and UN-Habitat held at Bujumbura on this friday, 11th May, 2012.

Received by the Acting Executive Director and Director of Fisheries of LTA, I. Kaitira Katonda, the delegation of UN - Habitat appreciated the collaboration between LTA and UN-HABITAT. For Ambassador Lawrence Rwehumbiza Ishengoma, Special High Level Adviser, LT-WASTAN, this project will focus on the provision of water, sanitation and waste management services as well as measures to protect the integrity of the environment in the lake basin.

" The ultimate stakeholders and beneficiaries of the Project are the^population of the Lake Tanganyika sud-region (Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia)" said Mr. Goodwin. At international level, UN-HABITAT will collaborate with UNDP, UNEP, UNICEF, AfDB and GEF and other funding partners, as part of strengthening linkages that would enhance the overall benefit of the Project. At national level, the beneficiaries include the Governments of the countries, NGOs and the private sector working at supporting government development efforts.

Experience from LVWATSAN shows the importance of creating the Project management structure well in advance of the start of implementation. For that reason, UN-HABITAT will initiate already in the second half of 2012 the formation of regional and national programme coordination and management units. It targets 14 towns: Kalemie, Moba, Uvira and Kiliba (DR Congo), Kigoma, Kasulu, Uvinza, Mpanda (Tanzania), Rusizi, Rubavu (Rwanda), Rumonge, Nyanza-Lac, Gatumba (Burundi), Mbala, Mpulungu (Zambia). The participants (LTA Directors, National Coordinators, Projects Managers) discussed about the LT-WATSAN Programme, its implementation plan, securing ministerial endorsement of proposed LT-WATSAN Programme, strengthening the collaboration between LTA and UN-Habitat, status of MOU between LTA and UN-Habitat.