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Riparian nations discuss conservation of key lake

3 mins read

Riparian nations discuss conservation of key lake

Habari za Dharura

October 26, 2026 Admin0

Dar es Salaam. The four countries sharing Lake Tanganyika have been urged to strengthen cooperation, improve fisheries management and mobilise funding to address growing threats to the lake, including pollution, illegal fishing and climate change.

The call was made at the opening of the 15th Ordinary Meeting of the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) Management Committee, attended by representatives from Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia.

The meeting is reviewing conservation progress and preparing recommendations for the Conference of Ministers scheduled for October 29 and 30. The discussions focus on protecting the lake’s biodiversity and sustaining the livelihoods of communities that depend on its resources.

Speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary in the Vice-President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment), Dr Richard Muyungi, said the countries needed to translate policy commitments into practical measures to address the lake’s challenges.

He cited declining water quality, illegal fishing, pollution and climate change as key concerns requiring coordinated regional action. “These resolutions will help protect the lake’s biodiversity, safeguard economic activities and preserve the blue economy opportunities available in the lake,” Dr Muyungi said.

He said the recommendations should guide ministers in strengthening sustainable management of the lake, which supports more than 13 million people across the four countries.

Dr Muyungi said conservation efforts needed to align with the region’s Strategic Action Programme, warning that regulations alone would not be sufficient to protect the lake.

He also called for greater private-sector participation to mobilise resources for conservation and help communities access capital and other support at local level. Dr Muyungi urged stronger collaboration with regional institutions, including the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, to improve the management of shared water resources.

The LTA Management Committee chairperson, Richard Lungu, said the meeting offered member states an opportunity to assess progress, identify implementation gaps and agree on measures to address emerging threats.

He said unsustainable fishing practices, pollution, degradation of critical habitats, climate change and population growth were placing increasing pressure on the lake. “Our collective responsibility is therefore to ensure that this natural ecosystem is sustainably managed, protected and preserved for the benefit of present and future generations,” he said.

Mr Lungu called for faster implementation of the Regional Integrated Development Programme and the Strategic Action Programme, with emphasis on fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, pollution control, water-quality monitoring and protection of critical habitats.

He said countries also needed to strengthen cooperation in managing fish stocks, make better use of scientific evidence and promote responsible fishing practices to protect the lake’s resources and the livelihoods they support.

LTA Executive Director Dr Emma Liwenga said the authority was reviewing its Strategic Action Programme, last reviewed in 2012, to respond to changing environmental conditions and mounting pressure on the lake’s resources.

She described Lake Tanganyika as a vital source of food security, livelihoods and economic development, as well as a reservoir of significant biodiversity.

Dr Liwenga said the authority was working with development partners to address threats linked to climate change, population pressure and human activities. She commended Tanzania, Burundi, the DRC and Zambia for supporting regional cooperation to protect the lake and the communities that depend on it.

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