KIGALI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Establishing a permanent water authority for Lake Kivu and River Rusizi shared by Rwanda, DR Congo and Burundi will have to wait until member states pay their financial contribution, senior officials said Thursday.
The decision was made after environment ministers from DR Congo and Rwanda met in Kigali. They reached a joint resolution, urging member states to accelerate their payment to facilitate the setup of the permanent authority.
The three African countries agreed in 2011 to create a water resources authority for Basin of Lake Kivu and River Rusizi within the framework of regional cooperation, with each member states contributing 251,000 euros (280,000 U.S. dollars) to fund it.
The joint management is expected to prevent water pollution, encroachment by farmers and depletion, as well as monitor activities such as hydro-electricity exploitation, gas and petroleum exploitation and fishing, among others, officials said.
So far, only Rwanda has paid its part. Vincent Biruta, Rwanda's minister of natural resources and head of the council of ministers, called on member states to inject new impetus to raise the money.
"We have resolved that countries are going to accelerate the payment of arrears...there is need for ways to sustainably exploit shared water resources by protecting the water bodies," Biruta said.
DR Congo's Minister of Environment Amy Ambatobe Nyongolo reaffirmed his country's commitment to the project despite the arrears.
The meeting also decided to inform Burundi, whose minister was absent, of the new drive to meet its financial obligations.
