Current Activities

The Nile Basin Society is currently active in the following areas:

• Providing local Nile Basin NGOs with Internet-Related Services: We create web sites for selected active local NGOs using the excellent features of our web servers; a hybrid Linux/Windows server allowing using the best from both worlds. The hosting is provided initially for free as a subdomain to nilebasin.com. The idea is to encourage local NGOs to experiment and reap the benefits of the ICT revolution first hand. It is expected though that they would actually become paying customers enjoying our cost/effective hosting capabilities. On the other hand, this is to prevent abuse by commercial or non-commercial hosting providers (some desiguised under the tag of non-profit and even claiming to aim at providing 'space for change in Africa'. This activity is based on our experiences, particularly the bad ones, in hosting our own web sites.
• Lead organization in the Mountain Partnership's East Africa Initiative.
• Providing appropriate communication mehods to the ILRI's Nile Basin livestock–water productivity research project as a partner.
• Advocacy for real public participation in the Nile Basin Initiative: This is a continuation of our efforts culminating at the 3rd World Water Forum and continuing with the so-called "Nile Dialogue" which the Nile Basin Society was chosen by ODI to conduct the e-consultation.
• Reviving the NBS: It is no secret that the Nile Basin Society is facing a constitutional disaster. This happened because those elected during the 2004 AGM tried really to control the NBS and the founder through trying to change the by-laws (not through an AGM), not calling for regular board meetings and also by not attending any meeting called for by the founder, thus not forming quorum. Also at the 2005 AGM, that had removed the 2004 board, 2 of the board candidates were harrassed by the old board leading to their withdrawal and leaving only 2 candidates out of a minimum needed of three board members. The 2005 AGM thus failed to elect a new board leading to the crisis. This shall be addressed before the end of the year. We are looking for "like-minded' active board members who are true believers in the aims and objectives of the NBS and the role that NGOs must play, including advocacy if and when needed, in decision-making in large development projects like the Nile Basin Initiative. We need those who believe that social change is the main reason d'etre of NGOs, not just as blind contractors working for the governments or developing agency in exchange for a piece of the 'development pie".
• Shaping the African ICT future: Through active participation in the World Summit for Information Society (WSIS) process and preparing for the WSIS next meeting in Tunis
• Exploring new web technologies: Every day new technologies and server software emerges. We are applying these technologies and evaluating them. Our main interest is for technologies that provide 2-way communications, particularly in web sites and empowering the users and NGOs to be active contributors not just receivers of information. Examples are to be found in our index (home)page.