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Transboundary mountain regional programmes
Mountain ecosystems are more often than not
transboundary, stretching across the borders of two
or more countries. Anumber of regional programmes
have been implemented in East Africa to address
transboundary ecosystem management issues and
the development of border communities. Some of
these programmes also integrate climate change
adaptation and community resilience measures.
One of the key programmes in East Africa is the
Transboundary
Agroecosystem
Management
Programme for the Kagera River Basin, which
covers Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
The programme is aimed at addressing the causes of
land degradation and restoring ecosystem health and
functions. The project seeks to generate a range of
global environmental benefits across the Kagera Basin
through the introduction of adapted agroecosystem
management approaches. It also aims to improve the
livelihoods of rural communities in the Kagera Basin
through more productive and sustainable resource
management practices that are technically and socio-
economically viable (FAO, 2013).
Two programmes of the Nile Basin Initiative
– the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action
Programme and the Eastern Nile Subsidiary
Action Programme – are transboundary, involving
Ethiopia and Sudan. Within the Nile Equatorial
Lakes Subsidiary Action Programme, two
transboundary projects have been implemented,
namely, the Kagera River Basin Transboundary
Integrated Water Resources Development Project,
involving Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda;
and the Rusumo Hydropower Project, covering
Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania (EAC, 2006; Nile
Basin Initiative, n.d.).
The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration
is the largest and most successful transboundary
mountain ecosystem collaboration in the EAC,
encompassing not only the countries of the subregion,
but also the DRC. The initiative has successfully
demonstrated how to handle complex policies,
practices and development of communities across
borders of several countries in the East Africa Rift
system. Under the initiative, Burundi and Rwanda
are jointly implementing the Nyungwe and Kibira
National Parks Transboundary Strategic Plan, which
aims to improve cooperation in the conservation of
biodiversity, natural resources and associated cultural
values, as well as develop research and ecotourism in
both parks. The plan also seeks to promote landscape
conservation through planning and improved
management of the two protected areas (UNEP, 2014).
The Albertine Rift Montane Forests Eco-region
Programme 2001–2005, covering a mountain chain
within the Albertine Rift straddles the borders of five
different nations – DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi
and Tanzania. The programme developed a strategic
framework for conservation efforts in the eco-region
with a wide variety of stakeholders, and supported
national authorities in the planning and management
of protected areas and buffer zones. In the case of
DRC, one of the key projects is the Albertine Rift
Montane Forest Eco-region programme that started
in 2004 and ended in 2014 (Arcos Network, n.d.).
The Mount Elgon Regional Ecosystem Conservation
Programme was implemented by the EAC through
the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. It started
in 2006, after which it was redesigned in 2008 and
ended in 2011. The project improved community
livelihoods through the construction of a 25 km road
to Chepkitale, planted 381 ha of forest and helped to
support climate change adaptation measures in the
Mount Elgon region (EAC, 2015).
Queen Elisabeth National Park, Uganda