event 15 Sep 2021

Report // Baseline Study for the Basin of Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River

The basin baseline study documents the current state of the basin’s water resources and natural environment while also identifying current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the basin. The study takes a holistic WEF Nexus approach, analyzing the interlinkages between water, energy, food security, and the natural environment. The study was drafted in close cooperation with GIZ project partner and basin organization ABAKIR (Autorité du Bassin de Lac Kivu et de la Rivière Ruzizi/Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Basin Authority).

Baseline Study Kivu

Executive Summary

The implementation of an extended baseline study of the transboundary basin of Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River is part of the project "Support to the integrated management of water resources of Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River", initiated in the framework of the support provided by the European Union (EU Delegation to Rwanda) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The study aims to support making operational the Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Basin Authority (ABAKIR) created on November 4, 2014, following the signature of the International Convention on the Integrated Management of Water Resources of the Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Basin by Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda. It is also intended to be cross-sectoral, through the NEXUS Water Energy Food approach.

This study is divided into two parts. The first part consists of the elaboration of the baseline study of the Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River basin, while the second part focuses on defining management options, and an evaluation framework, aimed at contributing to ABAKIR's strategic plan for integrated and long-term management of the basin.

The study area corresponds to the cross-border catchment area of Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River up to its outflow at Lake Tanganyika. It corresponds to the zone of intervention of the Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Basin Authority (ABAKIR) and concerns three countries: Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda. The total area of the study zone is 13,385 km², with 2,706 km² (20.2%) in Burundi, 6,227 km² (46.5%) in DRC and 4,452 km² (33.3%) in Rwanda.

In terms of the methodology employed, the priority objective is to undertake a baseline study that is harmonized and homogeneous on the scale of the whole basin. The strategy developed for its implementation consists in combining the data available and accessible at the level of the three member states, with global data produced on a larger scale and available in a homogeneous way over the whole basin.

La version française de cet article est disponible ici.

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Baseline Study for the Basin of Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River

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- Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River Project // Validation Workshop of the Extended Basin Baseline Study of the Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River

- Nexus Fact Sheet // Support of the water resources management at Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River

- Project // Support to the Integrated Management of Water Resources of Lake Kivu and Ruzizi River

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