August 23, 2025 ( Arusha, Tanzania): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and East African Community (EAC) kicked – off an Inter-Regional Learning Exchange Mission (LEM) for Member States’ National Qualifications Frameworks and Skills Recognition Experts as part of the implementation of the IGAD Qualifications Framework, from 20th – 22nd August, q2025, in Arusha, Tanzania.
The main objective of the mission is to foster interregional collaboration and identify areas of mutual learning opportunities and collaboration between IGAD and EAC to advance regional qualifications frameworks and enhance the recognition of skills across borders with a focus on mutual recognition agreements, digital platforms, national registers, and implementation strategies.
In his opening remarks, Dr Kebede Kassa Tsegaye, Senior Coordinator, ESTI, IGAD, on behalf H. E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, who is also the current Chair of the Inter-Regional Platform of the AU and Ambassador Moussa Ali Meigague, the Director of the Health and Social Development Division, emphasized that the IGAD Member states need digital platforms for learning, tools for credit accumulation and transfer, green skills that make the youth not just job seekers but solution creators. “We have gathered not only to talk about qualifications frameworks, mutual recognition agreements, and digital platforms, but also to connect the dots between education, technology, skills, and the livelihoods of our people. IGAD and EAC may belong to different regions, but our challenges are similar, our aspirations are shared, and our destinies are intertwined,” Dr. Kebede said.
Dr Dorcas Omukhulu, Principal Education Officer and Acting Director of Social Sector, EAC, highlighted that the development of regional qualifications frameworks, like the IGAD Qualifications Framework and EAC’s Mutual Recognition Agreements, is intended to facilitate the free movement of persons, skills, and professionals within the provisions of regional protocols, such as the EAC Common Market Protocol and IGAD Free Movement Protocol.
According to Dr. Dorcas, the Exchange Visit Workshop hopes to provide a unique platform for discussing policies, strategies, and regulations to facilitate the mutual recognition of qualifications and enhance cross-border mobility of skills. “We will make significant progress in advancing the mutual recognition of qualifications and facilitating the cross-border mobility of professionals and skills in both regions”, she stressed.
Mr. Ephraim Percy Kenyanito, GIZ Economic Policy Advisor (Policy for Mutual Agreements), Support to the EAC Integration Process and Digitalization for East African Trade and Integration said that the open dialogue and collaborative spirit will enable both EAC and IGAD to work together to build a more integrated and prosperous East African and Horn of Africa regions.
The exchange Visit brought together the GIZ Digital East Africa Trade project, the EAC, the IGAD Secretariat and IGAD Member State Experts.
Subsequently, the Learning Exchange Mission was able to identify driving factors of progress towards a more cohesive and efficient regional framework for qualifications, benefiting both IGAD and EAC Member/Partner States.
Over the past three years, IGAD, in collaboration with UNESCO, GIZ, and ECW, has diligently worked on the IGAD Regional Qualifications Framework (IGADQF), through participatory engagement of Member States. The work includes IGADQF Implementation Roadmap and Technical and Policy Documents. The IGADQF was validated and endorsed at the 4th Conference of IGAD Ministers in Charge of Education in 2024.
