(IGAD- Juba) A five-member IGAD delegation led by the Executive Secretary, Eng. Mahboub Maalim arrived here this afternoon to witness the proclamation of independence of Africa’s newest nation state, South Sudan tomorrow.

In response  to the invitation of the authorities of the Republic of Djibouti, their Excellencies, Mr. Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the OIF (International Organization of the French Speaking World), Mr. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Mr. Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihssanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), and Mr. Mahboub M. Maalim, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), sent observers who formed the international observer mission for the Djibouti presidential elections  held on April 8, 2011.

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Presidential elections observer mission from IGAD Secretariat and the African Union were deployed today in different parts of Djibouti. Polling stations are scheduled to open across the Republic of Djibouti Friday morning, April 8th, 2011.

A two day regional meeting on IGAD Strategic Plan was convened today at the IGAD Secretariat. Participants from IGAD Member States, Secretariat and Programs will take part in the validation and finalization of the draft IGAD Regional Strategy and Implementation Plan for the 2011 to 2015 which will be considered for the upcoming IGAD Council of Ministers.