With support of the 10th European Development Fund, IGAD has been implementing the Regional Integration and Human Security Support Program (RPIHSSP). This is a joint program with East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) that covers Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA). The overall aim is to deepen political integration and contribute to the improvement of life for the peoples of this expansive region.

IGAD held a meeting to validate the study on " how to strengthen the IGAD Business Forum (IBF)". The meeting was held on 2nd and 3rd May 2013 in Kampala. This meeting was attended by delegates from the national chambers of commerce and industry in the IGAD member states. In its role of facilitating regional integration and free trade IGAD Secretariat revived the IBF in May 2010. The IBF is the apex body of the national chambers of commerce and industry in the IGAD member states. The mission of IBF is to bring the voice of the private sector on board the regional integration agenda. This is done by inter alia, engaging the private sector in advocacy and policy issues in the sphere of economic cooperation and enhancing public private partnerships (PPP) under the guidance of IGAD Secretariat. The entire effort is geared to boosting intra African trade in tandem with the aspirations of the Abuja treaty and the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) to which IGAD as one of the eight RECs working in concert with AU and other development partners is engaged in.

A meeting attended by trade experts and customs officials from the IGAD member states was held on 6th and 7th 05, 2013 in Kampala to validate a study report on the legal framework and modalities for the establishment of one stop border posts in the IGAD region.

Khartoum, Sudan: After four days of extensive training, IGAD staff drawn from the Secretariat and Specialized offices returned to their respective stations equip with knowledge and skills on gender mainstreaming.

Khartoum, Sudan: Starting yesterday, Wednesday 24th April 2013, about fifty core staff of IGAD Secretariat and Specialized offices convened in Khartoum for a four-day skills training workshop on gender mainstreaming.