IGAD Striving to Settle Peace & Security Issues, Promote Regional Integration: Spokesperson

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Addis Ababa February 8/2022/ENA/ Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) has been working to settle peace and security issues and promote regional integration among member states, Authority Spokesperson Nuur Mohamud Sheekh said.

Speaking to ENA, Spokesperson for the Executive Secretary of the IGAD Nuur Mohamud Sheekh said the Horn of Africa region has been facing multiple crisis, including political instability, drought and desertification.

However, IGAD is striving to handle the crises and promote regional integration among member states.

“As IGAD, we try to raise awareness --- we have a climate center called IGAD Climate and Prediction and Application Center that gives constantly early warning to policy makers, governments, and humanitarian organizations to make timely intervention on these matters.”

According to Sheekh, regional integration is the heart of what IGAD does. “We are therefore always brining our member states together to make sure that they harmonize their policies – trade policies and free movement of persons,” he elaborated.

IGAD has also been working to settle peace and stability in member states, the spokesperson said, adding that the authority is working closely with stakeholders and governments of South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia to settle disputes within these countries.

“On issues of peace and security for South Sudan, we have a special envoy who is engaged in  making sure that the peace agreement is implemented by the parties. We have also IGAD Special Envoy in Somalia to help or support government efforts to conduct free and fair elections. On  Ethiopia’s situation, we work very closely with President Kenyatta, who is leading IGAD efforts.”

The spokesperson further stated that IGAD encourages community level reconciliation and provides the space for people of member states to come together and resolve peace and security issues.

IGAD does not impose any solution on governments of member countries since the authority  believes that these countries have the requisite capacity to come up with their own solutions.

It also helps and encourages member states to harmonize their policies on countering violent extremism by sharing information and best practices as well as working with stakeholders.

Sheekh said, “We have a center of excellence on countering violent extremism and we help member states to harmonize their policies on countering violent extremism by sharing information and best practices and working with all stakeholders in the country.”

Ethiopian News Agency
2023