October 11, 2023 (ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia): IGAD Peace and Security Director Hon. Siraj Fegessa, on behalf of H.E. Workeneh Gebeyehu, the IGAD Executive Secretary; and the Director-General for Middle East and Africa of Chile Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Juan Pino signed on Thursday, October 11th a Memorandum of Understanding which sets historic milestones for cooperation in matters of maritime security and safety.
In his welcoming remarks, Hon. Siraj highlighted the importance to learn from respective rich experiences while underlining the importance of coordination and exchanges of critical information and maritime expertise between the IGAD Security Sector Program and Chile.
Hon. Siraj indicated that the pioneering nature of IGAD-Chile Memorandum of Understanding is a living symbol of shared commitment to collaborate in a spirit of south-south cooperation.
Ambassador Pino, in his remarks expressed his appreciation and said that today’s event is the beginning of big cooperation that sets the basis for experience sharing with his Government and the IGAD Member States in maritime security.
The signed Memorandum of Understanding is the first of its kind linking a South American Nation-State like and IGAD which is a Regional Economic Community of the African Union regrouping 8 Member States namely Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.
