Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation is advancing regional cooperation through talks on the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project (HOAGDP) in Addis Ababa.
The initiative focuses on the Daua River Basin, aiming to boost irrigation, infrastructure, and trade across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, with ministry officials highlighting on Monday that it has a potential to transform livelihoods and strengthen regional integration.
On the Kenyan side, the talks were led by Principal Secretary for Irrigation Ephantus Kimotho and ICT Principal Secretary John Tanui, who also headed the delegation.
They held discussions with officials from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and representatives of the Ethiopian government to review progress and agree on the next steps.
The discussions centred on advancing the Daua River Basin Development Initiative, described as a key transboundary programme involving Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
“The meeting focused on advancing the Daua River Basin Development Initiative, a flagship transboundary programme aimed at unlocking the vast socio economic potential of the basin shared by Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia,” the statement said.
The wider HOAGDP framework was highlighted as a transformative programme supporting cross-border infrastructure and development.
Key elements of the project include the construction of a bridge linking Kenya and Ethiopia, establishment of a One Stop Border Post and trade facilitation centre, the deployment of digital fibre optic connectivity, and water resource development.
These interventions are aimed at enhancing food security, agricultural productivity, trade, and regional integration.
In his remarks, Kimotho pointed to the scale of the opportunity presented by the Daua River Basin, particularly in irrigation.
“The Daua River Basin has the potential to support irrigation of up to 1.2 million acres across the riparian countries if fully developed,” he said.
He added that such development would have wide-ranging economic and social benefits.
“This would significantly boost food security, enhance livelihoods, and catalyze broad-based economic growth across the region,” he stated.
The meeting builds on earlier engagements among the participating countries, including a regional consultative meeting held in Nairobi in November 2014.
“The First Regional Consultative Meeting held in Nairobi in November 2014 brought together Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, culminating in a landmark agreement to establish the Tripartite Permanent Technical Committee,” the statement said.
The committee was tasked with overseeing the Integrated Daua Basin Development Programme.
Further progress was made in June 2025 during another HOAGDP meeting in Addis Ababa, where Kenya and Ethiopia reaffirmed their commitment to the initiative through a joint communiqué.
At the latest meeting, participants emphasized the importance of cooperation among countries sharing the basin, describing it as a strategic resource.
“Recognizing the Daua River Basin as a shared strategic resource, the meeting emphasized the importance of strengthened cooperation among riparian states,” the statement said.
Kenya reiterated its commitment to working with partner countries to develop a unified framework for sustainable and equitable management of shared water resources.
The successful implementation of the project is expected to deliver wide-ranging benefits, including improved irrigation, enhanced water access for border communities, increased trade, fisheries development, hydropower generation, and flood control.
“The successful implementation of the initiative is expected to deliver far reaching benefits, including enhanced food security through expanded irrigation, improved water access for border communities, increased trade and fisheries development,” the statement said.
Officials also noted the potential for the project to contribute to regional stability and long-term peace through shared economic opportunities.
To move the project forward, the meeting called for urgent resource mobilisation and the operationalisation of the Tripartite Permanent Technical Committee.
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