The Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) held a kick-off workshop for the first Joint Multipurpose Program, Identification Phase Studies (JMP1 ID Studies).  The almost 80 participants of the two-day workshop were drawn from various sectors of the Eastern Nile countries (Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan), Nile Basin Initiative institutions and projects, Parliamentarians, Development Partners, representatives of civil society, private sector, media, study consultants and other stakeholders.

The Joint Multipurpose Program (JMP)
The JMP is part of the NBI/ Eastern Nile investment program (ENSAP), which the three countries (Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan) implement to develop the water resources of the Eastern Nile Basin in a sustainable and equitable way.  JMP considers the water resources of the Nile as entry points to promote goals that go beyond water.

The decision to launch a multipurpose development in the Eastern Nile was made in 2005, at the 19th Eastern Nile Council of Ministers responsible for water (ENCOM) Meeting, which also included the Power Ministers of the three countries. ENCOM then instructed ENTRO to work toward the “Launch of the first phase of identification of a major program of multipurpose joint development of the Eastern Nile that demonstrate benefits of cooperation and ensure good practice”

The Launch Phase led to a general consensus that the best opportunities for a first series of major, joint investments which satisfy the three basic principles (multipurpose and joint development, and no regret) lie in the Blue (Abbay)-Main Nile system. This Identification meeting builds upon this consensus and is intended to take the JMP forward.

During the two days, speeches by HE Eng. Kamal Ali, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources of Sudan and by the representatives of Egypt and Ethiopia set the positive tone for the workshop.  An inspirational key note speech by Prof. E O'Connell, Professor of Water Resources Engineering at Newcastle University in the UK, provided a broad vantage (experience from other basins, International Water Resources Management, the faith-base moral-ethical underpinnings) from which to assess JMP, resulting in the key message that the JMP is possible, doable and good!

Subsequent presentations by Mr. Alan Bates, a Consultant, highlighted the opportunities and challenges of regional joint multi-purpose projects such as the JMP. Dr. Ahmed Khalid, ENTRO Executive Director, spoke about the launch of the JMP while Mr. Michael, JMP Coordinator, briefed the participants about the contents and organizational arrangement of the JMP.

Rene Fontaine the Project Manager for SNC Lavalin, the firm chosen to conduct the JMP-1 ID Studies, explained what Social Sustainability and Environmental Impact Assessment (SSEA) is about; and Dr. Mohamed Elmuntasir, ENTRO Environment Specialist, explained how SSEA is to be applied in the JMP. Dr. Wubalem, ENTRO Social Development Officer, presented the stakeholder involvement and communication strategy for the JMP. Dr. Sherif Elsayed, ENTRO Senior Project Coordinator, elaborated on the link between IDEN projects and JMP. Other presentations on studies that compliment JMP-1 were presented by Mr. Getu Tilahun of the Ministry of Water Resources of Ethiopia, Ms. Eileen Burke of the World Bank and Michael Abebe of ENTRO. The JMP main consultants then presented the approach, methodology, linkage between tasks and work plan.

The information provided during the 2 days workshop and the discussions they generated benefited ENTRO, the consultants and the participants resulting in a number of key messages agreed upon by the workshop participants and reflect that the participants have: