South Sudan has urged East African Community partner states to work together to sustainably manage shared water resources and address growing environmental and climate-related pressures on the Lake Victoria Basin. The call was made during the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers on the Lake Victoria Basin, held in Kisumu, Kenya, from October 19 to 23, 2026. The meeting brought together regional ministers, senior government officials, and technical experts to discuss the sustainable management of the shared basin.
Sultan Lam Tungwar Kueigwong, Undersecretary at South Sudan's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, led a delegation of senior government officials to the meeting. He emphasized South Sudan's hydrological and ecological connection to the Lake Victoria Basin through the White Nile system. Lam stated that the sustainable management of this critical transboundary resource cannot be achieved through fragmented national interventions, and that coordinated action is necessary to address the challenges facing the basin.
The meeting aimed to critically review the compliance matrix on the implementation of previous SECOM directives, interrogate the performance of ongoing projects, and appraise the pipeline portfolio against basin sustainability indicators. Lam advocated for water management approaches based on Integrated Water Resources Management, equitable and reasonable utilization of shared water resources, and the obligation to prevent significant harm to other countries. He also called for strengthening the resource mobilization framework for the Lake Victoria Basin Commission.
The Lake Victoria Basin faces mounting pressures, including deteriorating water quality, nutrient pollution, untreated wastewater discharge, unsustainable water abstraction, and prolonged droughts and intense flooding linked to climate change. These challenges threaten the basin's ecosystem services and require coordinated action by countries sharing its water resources. The meeting brought together representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Lam highlighted the need for a revitalized, technically competent, and financially sustainable Lake Victoria Basin Commission capable of executing its mandate of coordinating research, policy harmonization, and investment in harmonization. He stressed that changes in the basin's water balance, sediment movement, and ecological health could directly affect South Sudan's water security, flooding patterns, and the livelihoods of its people.
The Undersecretary emphasized that South Sudan's participation in the meeting was not ceremonial, but a strategic necessity. He added that the country remains committed to a coordinated approach to managing the shared water resources of the Lake Victoria Basin. The meeting provided a platform for countries to share experiences and best practices in managing the basin's resources.
The outcome of the meeting is expected to inform the future management of the Lake Victoria Basin and ensure that the shared water resources are utilized in a sustainable and equitable manner. The EAC Secretariat and the LVBC guided the meeting, which aimed to promote cooperation and coordination among partner states in managing the basin's resources.
Key points
- South Sudan urges stronger cooperation among EAC partner states to manage shared water resources sustainably.
- The Lake Victoria Basin faces mounting pressures, including deteriorating water quality and climate change.
- The meeting aimed to promote cooperation and coordination among partner states in managing the basin's resources.
