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The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) have begun designing a digital twin for the Nile Basin, an initiative aimed at strengthening water resources management, forecasting capabilities, and regional cooperation across the transboundary river system.
The two organisations have defined the scope of the digital twin concept and established a roadmap for its development, identifying the resources and contributions required for its phased implementation.
The Nile Basin spans multiple countries and faces ongoing challenges related to the integration, accessibility and visualisation of water data. According to IWMI and NBI, the proposed digital twin would serve as a unified platform capable of bringing together information on water availability and use, supporting scenario analysis and facilitating engagement among stakeholders.
The initiative builds on the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations. NBI will contribute its regional mandate and operational systems, while IWMI will draw on its experience developing digital twins in other river basins, including the Limpopo.
Experts from both organisations identified two priority areas for the future platform: the Strategic Water Resources Assessment (SWRA) and the Regional Hydrological Monitoring and Forecasting System.
The SWRA has supported NBI’s work since 2015 by providing information on water resources, demand, and development options. The digital twin is expected to improve the accessibility and interpretation of these outputs for decision-makers and other users.
The second focus area is the Regional Hydrological Monitoring and Forecasting System, which provides flood forecasting and water quality information across the basin with support from the European Union and the German government.
The partners expect the digital twin to enhance the communication of these forecasts and strengthen their use for disaster preparedness and risk reduction.
The project represents a further step towards the digital transformation of shared water management in one of Africa’s most important river basins.
Witer: Smart Water Magazine
