Democratic Republic of Congo NDF

DRC Nile Discourse Forum (DRC NDF) is a Network facilitating the involvement of society organizations (CSOs), the NGOs including women and media groups. The DRC Nile basin faces a great number of environmental problems including population growth and poverty through the way it aims in promoting a dialogue on sustainable and equitable Nile basin development.

About DRC NDF

DRC NDF was launched in April 2006; the NDF has 13 elected members who become its national steering committee.

DRC NDF is composed of the forum main bodies namely:

The General Assembly: The supreme body of the forum is currently made of 80 civil society organizations.

Steering committee: This organ is composed of 13 members.

The secretariat: This is the national coordination headed by a National coordinator (NPC)

The National Forum: This is composed of members who join to DRC NDF media, NGOs members, Sponsors, Government representatives, Local administration, and International NGOs.Full membership List

THE DRC NILE BASIN LOCATION

The DRC Nile basin is located in the Eastern part of DRC in two provinces respectively the North Kivu and oriental provinces. The DRC Nile basin dwellers are about 9 millions and its surface area is 27000 km². However, the area is bursting with enormous economic potentialities in the mining sector such as Gold, Diamond, Silver and Petrol, Forest sector, the DRC Nile basin is a touristic area with regard to its forests and the Virunga Park. In fishing sector, two lakes are to be cited: Lake Edward and the Albert with a great number of fishing.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES

DRC NDF overall objectives are stated as followed:

Disseminate knowledge about NBD and NBI activities to NDF members and to civil society organizations (CSOs).

Establish a mechanism of partnership with governmental agencies to ensure civil society participation in the NBD - NBI projects.

Support community actions and partnerships to reduce poverty in the DRC Nile basin.

Influence development project and processes under NBI.

Implement a mechanism of monitoring and evaluation by NDF members.

DRC NDF ACTIVITIES

Research studies have been carried out and a number of capacity building workshops have been held for their member studies.

Studies have been done on topics like different power resources in DRC Nile basin area and stakeholder involvement in the NBI development process.

“The problematic of deficit and energetic potentials in the Congolese Nile basin “ a book that DRC NDF published to high light on identifying the energetic problems in the Congolese Nile basin.

The DRC NDF has highlighted a very clear way that should be used to have an overview about NELSAP project through undertaking an assessment on DRC Nile basin-Nile equatorial lakes region (NEL) sub-region has been done by the consultant.

The DRC NDF has had very good cooperative relations with its members. The NPC has visited its members in order to stay in contact and monitor their activities.

Nile day activities in ways of conference aiming at awakening the local population about the Nile basin issues have been organized in different coins of the Congolese Nile basin.

Strengthen a DRC NDF Platform of civil society organizations for a sustainable Nile basin development.

The DRCNDF has carried out a number of capacity building activities for its members in environment impact assessment, communication, lobbing and advocacy techniques.

The DRCNDF uses media as a powerful tool to popularize Nile basin information at the level of the local community.

DRCNDF facilitates internet access to members and also distributes news papers: Nile voices, NBI news papers.