31.01.2020, Addis Ababa (ETHIOPIA) – The Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) H. E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu yesterday met with the Head of Division – East Africa of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – Mr. Niels Breyer at the IGAD office in Addis Ababa.
The two parties discussed at length on ways through which the two organisations can enhance cooperation and partnership with the objective of using the current activities and those that can be considered in the near future can be to the benefit of the IGAD citizens.
H.E Dr. Workneh expressed IGAD’s appreciation to the German Government for the contribution and support given to IGAD and its Member States over the years and promised to continue working and enhancing cooperation with BMZ and other development partners towards collectively harnessing the opportunities as well as addressing the challenges being faced in the region.
“Member states need to benefit from every programme, project and activity that IGAD does and we recommit to working with the Member States and partners through their support to bring IGAD to the people by re-enforcing the new IGAD Cross-border Development Approach ” Dr. Workneh noted.
Mr. Niels Breyer expressed that IGAD has a key and strong role to play in achieving regional integration and migration management through its direct connectivity to the Member States for bi and multi-lateral synergies and cooperation.
The two parties also discussed issues to do with strengthening the IGAD Partners Forum (IPF), migration in the region, regional dynamics and developments in the Horn of Africa as well as IGAD’s reform agenda as a springboard to capacitate the regional organization in its agenda and mandate of peace, prosperity and regional integration.
The meeting was also attended by the Ms Laura Schmidt, Counsellor, Head of the Development Cooperation and IGAD’s Dr. Debalkew Berhe, Programme Manager for Environment.
