• The Node Concept
• The Node Objectives
• The Node Activities

The NBCBN has been designed as an open regional network with nodes in each of the Nile basin countries .The nodes in it selves are again networks of water sector professionals from a particular country. NBCBN has facilitated the creation of these national networks in so far Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The main objective of the new phase is to complete the development of a sustainable regional Knowledge Network from six to ten countries; the new four nodes are D.R.Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Eritrea.

The Node Concept
Each Nilotic country is one node of NBCBN. A node is an association of individual professionals supported by their organizations. As such the node is a local network in itself. The role of the node will vary from country to country. Their activities are determined by the role the node plays in the different networks

1. The node as in-Country Network; The activities of the node required to develop and sustain a local capacity for river engineering within their country.
2. The Node as part of the Research Cluster Network; The activities of the node required to develop and sustain regional research capacity in respect to one research domain in the field of river engineering. (as Cluster Node  and/or as Country node)
3. The node as part of the regional Network The activities of the node required to participate in the overall network development.

The Node Objectives

1. Create and sustain a national NBCBN-RE node that includes all river engineers and related professions.
2. Become a Member in at least one regional research cluster 
3. Strengthen human resource development by building up the training and research capacity in river engineering in general, and the Research Cluster area's of specialization in particular.
4. Contribute to information, knowledge and experience exchange with the other Nile countries.

The Node Activities

1. Co-ordination of River Engineering capacity building activities in country.
2. Identification of the main river engineering challenges in the Nile in country.
3. Inventory of professionals, organizations and resources that describe current capacity for meeting these challenges.
4. Identification of the training and research need in the area of river engineering.
5. Dissemination of the training activities initiated through NBCBN-RE
6. Nomination of participants from the country to participate in the various training courses organized by NBCBN-RE.
7. Identification of the top lecturers who could contribute to research cluster training courses, and other short and regular courses organized by NBCBN-RE.
8. Involvement in and supporting to the research cluster's that the country node will join and take part in.
9. Communication and co-ordination of river engineering activities with other disciplines and organizations associated with the Nile Basin Initiative.
10. Raising the public and water professional awareness in the country about NBCBN role and activities using the available media whenever it is possible. Dissemination of NBCBN-RE publications such as newsletter, brochures, and scientific journal to the interested water professional and institutions in the country.
11. Search for funds, with the assistance of NBCBN-RE Secretariat, for capacity building activities beyond the initial project budget.

The way that each country will match its resources and commitments to the different activities of NBCBN-RE will differ, depending on the capacity, challenges, and contexts of river engineering professionals in each country.