Last week, In celebrating #NileDay2019, people all across the continent took to Twitter to call on Nile Basin states to focus on reversing the water and food security threat due to water supply sensitivity induced by high temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns.
The river Nile is an important source of freshwater essential for the survival and livelihoods of people living alongside the Nile Basin. The Nile River is the longest in the world, at 6,650 km long, encompassing an area of 3,349,000 square kilometres. Its basin is shared by ten countries: Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania.
Governments along the Nile River basin must include climate change adaptation policies into national development plans and base the future of their economies on clean, renewable energy to sustain the Nile river.
Here are some of the highlights of the #NileDay2019 Twitter Action:
#NileDay2019 #StoryOfTheNile
Climate change and increasing human activity alongside the course of Africa’s longest river threatens this life-sustaining force.@350_kenya @350Africa @350action @UNFCCC @AfricaCRP @BlueEconomy2018 @AUC_DPA pic.twitter.com/BrSI7uSUun— stephen kiboi (@skkariz) February 22, 2019
#NileDay2019 The Nile River is the longest in the world, at 6,650 km long and encompassing an area of 3,349,000 square kilometers. Its basin is shared by eleven countries: Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan and Tanzania. @350Africa pic.twitter.com/4v5rQHYggb
— AfrikaLive.TV (@Afrikalivetv) February 22, 2019
These amazing kids study next to the source of the Nile in Jinja. Their children to should find find the Nile as beautiful as it is. #StoryOfTheNile #AfrikaVuka #NileDay2019 pic.twitter.com/ET4n75fTxs
— #Girls4Climate (@girls4climate) February 22, 2019
#NileDay2019 a great opportunity to elevate voices &stories from the region, connecting the climate dots and creating a space to dialogue on trajectories such as the water, food and energy nexus that should really be of regional priority. #StoryOfTheNile @KeYouth4sdgs@350Africa pic.twitter.com/z2Vf2IAqZf
— Debbz Nyamu. (@DebbzNyamu) February 22, 2019
Today is #NileDay2019. A celebration of the River Nile discovered by John Speke. I have been to the source of The River Nile in Jinja – Uganda with @LilGreenHandsUg. U should do so too. #GoGreenUg #AfrikaVuka pic.twitter.com/AQMCLJqHc2
— Joseph Masembe (@JosephMasembe1) February 22, 2019
At #NileDay2019 I celebrated from #alex on the 🌊 to say #AfrikaVuka
To build #Greensociety starts with #Fossilfree #environment #COP24 @350Africa @350 @ClimateKenya254@eco_MENA @SOLARACIL_Egypt@UNarabic @UNFCCC @EGY_Environment pic.twitter.com/xLuH1zxhYg— Asmaa Hanafi (@AsmaaHanafi1) February 22, 2019
As we mark #NileDay2019, tribute to young Ugandans who have been striking asking concrete climate action in the face of the multiple ravages caused by climate change #AfrikaVuka #FridaysForFuture @LilGreenHandsRw @girls4climate pic.twitter.com/4kjlbqxqL2
— Landry Ninteretse (@ninteretse) February 22, 2019
Guests at tonight’s #NileDay2019 Celebration Dinner are enjoying cultural dances from across the ten Nile Basin countries performed by a Rwandan dance troupe! #NBIat20 #YearofNileBasin pic.twitter.com/trVluWnRh2
— Ministry of Environment – Rwanda (@EnvironmentRw) February 22, 2019
#NileDay2019 Call on your country’s leaders to protect the lives of over 200 million people threatened by desertification and #climatechange. False water solutions and mega hydro dams planned across the region do far more damage than good! #StoryOfTheNile pic.twitter.com/RM2kuVT95b
— ClimateRealityAfrica (@AfricaCRP) February 22, 2019
It is our responsibility to protect the Nile River! Join the action: https://t.co/aKhDtOdQuf #StoryOfTheNile #NileDay2019 #AfrikaVuka #climateimpacts pic.twitter.com/DpMC0zY96e
— 350 Africa (@350Africa) February 22, 2019