About Us
The Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) facilitates the implementation of the Eastern Nile Subsidiary Action Plan (ENSAP), aimed at cooperative water resources development in the Eastern Nile Basin.
ENTRO is thus charged with facilitating the identification and preparation of investment projects in agriculture, environment, hydropower, and river basin management, as well as gathering pertinent hydrologic, socio-economic, environment related data and conducting analyses. The implementation of prepared investment projects is the responsibility of the national institutions of the member countries of ENTRO, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Sudan
In 2010, however, following disagreements over the conclusion and signing of the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) by six upstream countries, Sudan and Egypt froze participation both in the NBI and ENSAP. Sudan has returned to both NBI and ENSAP and resumed full participation since 2012. Egypt has continued freezing participation, although it participates in NBI organized events such as the Nile Day Celebrations, the Nile Development Forum and Development Partner Consultation Meetings. The newly formed South Sudan joined ENTRO in 2012.
ENTRO has delivered all seven initiatives identified under its first joint project - the Integrated Development of the Eastern Nile (IDEN). Although the flagship cooperative development program of the Eastern Nile, the Joint Multi-Purpose Program (JMP) was launched in 2005-6, the first envisaged project, the Joint Multi-Purpose Project 1 (JMP1), had to be discontinued midway through its Identification Phase when Egypt and Sudan froze participation in ENTRO activities in 2010. However, JMP1 identification studies delivered several substantial and useful outputs.
ENTRO works based on Strategic Plans, which are listed below:
- ENTRO 1st Strategic Plan (2006-2010)
- ENTRO 2nd Strategic Plan (2014-2019)
- ENTRO 3rd Strategic Plan (2018-2022)
MEMBER STATES
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
GOVERNANCE
The Eastern Nile Council of Ministers (ENCOM), comprising of Ministers in charge of Water Affairs of the Member States, is the highest policy and decision-making body for ENSAP. ENCOM makes all policy and political decisions, provides guidance and approves annual work plans and budgets, strategic plans, and reports, ensures smooth implementation of ENTRO’s activities, and Member Countries Contribution are current.
The Eastern Nile Subsidiary Action Program Team (ENSAPT), comprised of 3 senior government officials from each of the Members States, supports the ENCOM. ENSAPT provides technical support and advice on matters related to the management and development of the common Nile water resources, provides oversight for ENSAP programmatic activities, and also interfaces between the ENCOM and development partners, as well as between the ENCOM, ENTRO, and programmes and projects of the NBI.
NBI National Desk Offices: operate as Units within Ministries of Irrigation and Water Resources in each Member State, to follow up on NBI project and program activities in the respective countries.
The governance structure of ENTRO, is best understood by locating it within the larger governance structure of the NBI (see figure below).
MILESTONES
Major events in the historical development of ENTRO are briefly outlined below.
| Date | Venue | Event |
|---|---|---|
| May 1999 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
|
| 14 Nov 2000 | Cairo, Egypt |
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| 28 Mar 2001 | Khartoum, Sudan |
|
| 18 May 2001 | Cairo, Egypt |
|
| 10 Jan 2002 | Cairo, Egypt |
|
| 13 Feb 2002 | Cairo, Egypt |
|
| 4–6 Sep 2002 |
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
|
|
| 6 Sep 2002 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
|
| 24 Jun 2004 | Sharm El Sheik, Egypt |
|
| 4 Oct 2004 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
|
| 16 Feb 2005 | Alexandria, Egypt |
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| 1 May 2005 | ENTRO, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
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| 2006-2008 | ENTRO, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
|
| 2008 – 2012 | ENTRO, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
July 2012 South Sudan joins NBI/ENTRO
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| 2013 - 2020 | ENTRO HQ |
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