Executive Summary:  

In the year 2020, NBD achieved commendable results in the areas of resource mobilization, updating functionalities of its online systems, revitalizing engagements with NBI, and refreshing member engagements and commitments in a bid to enhance NBD network’s visibility and impacts.

NBD secured a grant share of US$ 0.75 Million (Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand US Dollars) as stipulated in the draft Nile Cooperation for Climate Resilience (NCCR) Project Appraisal document of an overall proposed grant amount of US$30 million (Thirty Million US Dollars).  Further, NBD recruited a consultant who has already developed Terms of Reference (ToRs) for an Expert who would support NBD in Resource Mobilization endeavours both at the Secretariat and NDFs levels.

NBD upgraded its website with features to enable uploading of achievements and effectively manage online fundraising initiatives. Additionally, NBD updated its electronic M&E System’s source code and functions to match the updated hosting environment for absolute proof of data integrity, security and future functioning, and facilitate NBD to collect and manage M&E data on complex activities within the NBD Secretariat and across the 10 NDFs.

NBD revitalized its engagement with the Nile Basin Initiative through reviewing the existing NBD-NBI MoU which was initially signed and effected in 2010 (renewable every Three Years) in recognition of the roles that each party specifically plays, and the benefits to be gained through a cooperative agenda that promotes sustainable development interventions in the Nile Basin region. As part of the collaborative partnership with the NBI, NBD reached out to over 500 Nile Basin citizens and friends of the Nile that gathered for the 14th Annual Regional Nile Day 2020 celebrations, in Khartoum - Sudan and advocated for benefits of cooperation in the Nile Basin.

The NBD Secretariat conducted a mapping exercise on NDFs’ capacity and their readiness to partake in the implementation of the Additional Financing for 2020-2021, and in the preparation for the Nile Cooperation for Climate Resilience (NCCR) project 2021-2025, and re-confirmed the NDFs commitment to enhancing NBD Network’s visibility and impacts.

NBD achieved all these results amidst the COVID-19 pandemic which has also largely constrained NBD’s communication, physical movements, and interactions needed for project implementation.