14-03-2017, Djibouti: A high level delegation from the USAID held a kick off meeting with the Executive Secretary; His Excellency Amb (Eng) Mahboub Maalim and staff yesterday of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)  on Regional Development Objectives Grant Agreement (RDOAG) till 2021 for better collaboration, coordination and financing of projects and activities being implemented by IGAD through the support of USAID. 

H.E Mahboub Maalim who chaired the meeting expressed his appreciation for the support USAID has rendered to the organization and for their unwavering support to do more for the region despite the existing and potential challenges that keep emerging.  

“Our 11 year old relationship is well appreciated and we are ready to nurture the new agreement to grow through joint planning and coordination, accountability, transparency and flexible mechanisms for quick implementation of activities on the ground” Amb Maalim added.

Ms. Candace Buzzard, the Deputy USAID Mission Director of Kenya led the eight person delegation on this mission from the Nairobi based – USAID – Kenya and East Africa office and in her capacity commended IGAD for the dedication to the partnership through the years for solely the benefit of its people.

“IGAD is at the forefront of USAID’s strategy in East Africa and we will follow IGAD’s lead in implementing its mandate and priority areas while we support the organization to achieve the set objectives and goals in close collaboration and communication” Ms. Buzzard noted.

The two organizations agreed on a smooth transition through the use of new ways, methods and instruments for better implementation of the new agreement while cocurrently running the existing projects and programmes under the old agreement; Limited Scope Grant Agreement (LSGA).

USAID has been supporting IGAD in activities including and not limited to; Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment; Economic Cooperation, Integration and Social Development; Peace and Security and Corporate Development Services for the promotion of sustainable economic growth and resilience as well as improvement of management of risks in transcended borders.

IGAD and USAID have similar mandates to transform lives of those in the communities they operate in such as; broadly shared economic prosperity; strengthening democracy and good governance; supporting gender empowerment; improving global health, advancing food security and agriculture;  improving environmental sustainability; furthering education; helping societies prevent and recover from conflicts and tackling effects of climate change.