Hon. Andrea Ariik, EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, during her keynote address./FAITH MATETE
The Preview Edition of the Lake Victoria State of the Basin Report 2025 has been officially launched at a side event during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
Unveiled by the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), the report offers a critical assessment of the Basin’s environmental health, socio-economic dynamics, and governance trends.
Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the world’s largest tropical lake, supports over 45 million people across five EAC Partner States.
The report is positioned as an evidence-based blueprint for regional policymaking and climate resilience. It integrates data on water quality, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and infrastructure development to guide investments and coordinated action across national and regional levels.
“This moment marks not only the culmination of a rigorous scientific assessment, but also a call to action for all of us who share a stake in the well-being of this invaluable shared resource,” said Hon. Andrea Ariik, EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, during her keynote address.
Hon. Andrea Ariik, EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, during the the Preview Edition of the Lake Victoria State of the Basin Report 2025 launched at a side event during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil./FAITH MATETE
“We have witnessed a worrying decline in water quality, driven by untreated wastewater, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and sedimentation,” he noted.
“These pressures have led to eutrophication, seasonal oxygen depletion, and the loss of key fisheries.”
The report also highlights the progress enabled through German Technical and Financial Cooperation. Using data from the Water Information System (WIS) established under the Lake Victoria Basin Integrated Water Resources Management Program, Phase 1–3, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW, the LVBC has strengthened its capacity to monitor and coordinate sustainable resource management across the Basin.
Representatives from Germany’s development agencies, including Ms. Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven of GIZ and Ms. Christiane Laibach of KfW, were in attendance, emphasizing continued support from Germany for basin-wide environmental governance.
“We are deeply grateful for the financial and technical support that made this report possible,” said Hon. Ariik, praising both GIZ and KfW for their long-standing partnership.
The event was also graced by Dr. Caroline Karugu, Principal Secretary for EAC Affairs; and Dr. Callist Tindimugaya, representing Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment. Looking ahead, the report calls for accelerated investments in wastewater management, nature-based solutions, cross-border harmonization of regulations, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
It stresses the centrality of Lake Victoria’s natural capital to regional development, urging partners to match political commitments with tangible actions.
“Let this unveiling be more than a presentation,” said Hon. Ariik. He added
“Let it be a turning point where knowledge drives collective action... where the people of East Africa witness the benefits of a healthy, thriving Lake Victoria and its basin.”
The Preview Edition was developed by LVBC with support from GIZ, and the full report is expected to guide both policy and grassroots initiatives for years to come.
