COMMITTEE OF AMBASSADORS ENDORSES THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF PROCEDURE OF IGAD GOVERNANCE FORUM

22.08.2019 (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia): Policy organ under the Committee of Ambassadors of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have today reviewed and endorsed Draft Guiding Principles and Rules of Procedure in order to establish the IGAD Governance Forum (IGF) that serves as a guiding policy framework and coordination mechanism for the promotion of good governance and democratic elections in the region.

 The draft Guiding Principles and Rules of Procedure were first reviewed by Experts from IGAD Member States in June 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then by Committee of Ambassadors in May 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya.

 The Guiding Principles and Rules of Procedures are non-binding in nature that constitute minimum standards of normative and institutional arrangements of IGF with the aim to enhance coordinative and cooperative roles with Member States in governance.

 The Peace and Security Director, Hon. Siraj Fegessa in his opening remarks thanked the ambassadors for the commitment towards the goal of promoting good governance and democracy in the IGAD member states.

 Representing the IGAD Chair, Amb Abdulaziz Mohammed in his remarks highlighted that the document will guide the member states in accordance to other continental and international instruments towards a well governed, democratic and human rights protective regimes in the IGAD region.

 Dr Mehari Taddele Maru, a regional lead consultant on governance presented the revised Guiding Principles and Rules of Procedure after which were reviewed in detail and finally endorsed.

 Background

• IGAD State of the Region Report, IGAD Global Strategy 2020, IGAD Peace and Security Strategy (2016 – 2020) acknowledge that deficit in good governance is one of the causes of conflict and instability in the region and hence IGAD decided to establish an IGAD Governance Architecture (IGA) in which the IGF will serve as its deliberative body

• The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), and it further acknowledges “the contributions of the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to the promotion, nurturing, strengthening and consolidation of democracy and governance”

• The extended mandate of IGAD allows the Regional bloc to cover not only peace and security issues but also to cover democracy, governance, election, human rights and the rule of law in the region through the Political Affairs Program which was established in 2008 under the auspices of the Peace and Security Division.