10-03-2018, Djibouti (Djibouti): The Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), H.E. Amb (Eng) Mahboub Maalim, co-chaired over the IGAD Institutional Strengthening Action Plan (ISAP) Coordination and the IGAD Peace & Security Coordination Groups meetings which, held for the first time in Djibouti, closed yesterday in conjunction with the First Counsellor of the Embassy of Finland to Ethiopia and IGAD, Mr. Valjas Arto, and the First Counsellor of the Embassy of Denmark to Ethiopia and IGAD, Mr. Jonas Helth Lønborg.
The ISAP and the Peace & Security Coordination Groups meet on a regular basis throughout the year in order to gauge progress made in the implementation of the operational plans and agree on the next yearly operational plan under a Joint Programming and Financing Arrangements (JPA/JFA) to IGAD which includes development partners such as Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, the European Union, Austria, the US Agency for International Development and more.
During the two-day meetings, the discussions focused on addressing concerns raised by development partners pertaining to the status of the IGAD Treaty and new organisational structure to be endorsed and their implications to IGAD operations and relationships with stakeholders, to progress reports of 2017, and to the implementation plans for 2018.
The Executive Secretary pointed out that the Joint Financing Agreement mechanism that has been in place 10 years, has proved useful and efficient while highlighting that there was room for improvement still. “We are striving to improve delivery of service to the people of the IGAD region with your precious support”, he said.
“Nothing will stop us from working together towards progress”, he added.
The 2018 Work plans and budgets for ISAP and Peace & Security activities were thus adopted.
There was also mentions of new funding mechanisms such the European Union trust Fund under which IGAD was granted around 40 million Euros in support of the Peace & Security activities.
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