Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Vice President Josephine Joseph Lagu, Chairperson of the Service Cluster, closed the week-long Nile Basin meeting in Juba on Sunday with a message of commitment, cooperation, and community.
The event marked the 20th anniversary of Nile Day and brought together water ministers from across the member states to the South Sudanese capital. In her closing remarks, Vice President Lagu welcomed the regional delegates, noting the significance of Juba hosting the gathering for the first time.
“It is a great honour and pleasure for our country to host this great event in our capital city,” she said. “I am sincerely hoping that you have been taken care of, you have been warmly received and accorded the hospitality you deserve.”
The Vice President spoke about the Nile as a resource that defines the region, recalling her own education regarding the river’s status.
“The Nile River, when I was in school studying geography, I was taught it was the longest river in the whole wide world,” she said. Addressing recent reports that it may now be ranked second, she added, “I need that to be clarified. I want to believe that the Nile River is still the longest in the whole world, and that makes us happy as inhabitants of the basin.”
Turning to the theme of the meeting, “Voices of the Community in Water Governance,” the Vice President argued that the focus on women and youth is long overdue.
She stated that these groups must be moved from being mere beneficiaries to being “at the center of water management decision-making processes.”
On behalf of the Presidency, Lagu affirmed South Sudan’s commitment to the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) as a tool for peace. “The establishment of the Nile Basin Initiative has and will continue to strengthen cooperation among the member states and further enable us to resolve our differences in an amicable and peaceful manner,” she said.
She confirmed that the government supports the transition to the Nile River Basin Commission (NRBC) and encourages continued engagement with countries that have not yet ratified the agreement.
Lagu reminded the ministers that for South Sudan, the river is a transboundary reality that requires looking at “long-term ecological health, regional development, and climate resilience.”
She noted that water is more than a physical resource, stating, “Water is not just life, water is livelihood, water is resources, water is heritage, water is identity.”
The Vice President concluded by thanking the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation for organizing the event. She described the 20th anniversary as a “vibrant celebration, colourful celebration, celebration in style and celebration in South Sudan way.”
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