India, EU eye trilateral cooperation in East Africa to protect water bodies

The European Union (EU) and India are eyeing the possibility of trilateral cooperation with countries in East Africa to address challenges related to key water bodies such as Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika.
The cooperation, which will leverage the combined strength of India and the EU, was discussed at the EU-India Water Forum, which was held on the sidelines of the India Water Week on Wednesday. Both sides also agreed to enhance cooperation in sustainable water management and river basin management, and to foster innovation and technology transfer while promoting sustainable investments.
The forum “explored trilateral collaboration between East Africa, India and the EU” to address challenges in water bodies such as Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika”, the EU said in a statement.
EU ambassador Hervé Delphin said: “While we have developed a successful partnership for solutions in India, we are keen to work together with Africa to bring our respective expertise and develop innovative water management and foster regional water security.”
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The forum gathered government representatives, policymakers, experts and businesses from India and the EU to tackle critical water challenges and forge innovative technological solutions.
The India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP), established in 2016, aims to enhance technological, scientific and policy frameworks in water management. IEWP, currently in Phase III, focuses on creating sustainable solutions in areas such as river basin management, climate resilience, urban flooding and water governance.
Raj Bhushan Choudhary, minister of state for Jal Shakt, said IEWP has significantly contributed to India’s water sector by supporting strategies devised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti for holistic management of water resources. Delphin said Team Europe is eager to deepen its partnership with India under the existing water cooperation framework.
Under IEWP, India and the EU are collaborating on river management in Tapi and Ramganga river basins. The partnership will also extend its efforts to other key basins like the Brahmaputra. Both sides have jointly funded seven research and innovation water projects with funding of 37.4 million euros, including 23.4 million euros from the EU and 14 million euros from India.
These projects focus on drinking water purification, wastewater treatment and real-time monitoring and control systems. The EU-India Water Forum serves as a platform for discussing water sector challenges and enhancing business and research opportunities.