15^th May 2018, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The first consultative meeting of IGAD and core partners on the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration and Plan of Action on Refugee Education was held in Addis today. 

18-04-2018, Tadjourah (Djibouti): The Minister of Interior of Djibouti, H.E. Mr. Hassan Omar Mohamed, this morning opened the National Consultation Workshop towards the Development of the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in the IGAD Region in Tadjourah (Djibouti), with the Acting Director of Health & Social Development Division of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development-Ms Fathia Alwan, the Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Djibouti-H.E. Amb. Adam Kulach, the Prefect of Tadjourah District-H.E. Abdoulkader Mohamed Banoita, and the Representative of the UNHCR to Djibouti-Mr. Abdoulaye Bare’ at the high table.

This three-day workshop is aimed at getting inputs from national stakeholders and Experts on benefits and barriers to free movement of persons and Tanshumance; deriving National Recommendations towards the Provisions of the Protocol and Developing a Road Map for the Negotiation and adoption of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in the IGAD Region.

 This National Consultative Workshop is bringing together national experts on migration and related themes as well as stakeholders from each of the Ministries and Authorities of Government, Civil Society Organizations, Academia, Private Sector and Media to contribute to effective migration governance.

 The Minister of Interior in his opening remarks expressed his satisfaction to see the national consultations on the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons brought to the Republic of Djibouti after five other IGAD Member States. He underlined that around 500 irregular migrants enter Djibouti every day as they are trying to cross over to the Arab Gulf States and put pressure on the local resources. “This is one of the reasons I am urging each and every participant to focus and consider the advantages and disadvantages in relation to the implementation of this Protocole”, he said.

 Ms Fathia Alwan highlighted that this concept of a free movement protocol also had other advantages “such as better sharing of water and pasture resources, or increased opportunities for access to basic social services, particularly for the many transhumant pastoralist populations and communities in outlying geographical areas”.

 She added that IGAD attached great importance to the observations and analysis from the national Experts in Djibouti, and throughout the consultations at other Member States, for the region to be endowed with a free movement of persons protocol that will create a secure and legal environment.

 Amb. Kulach reminded the audience that Djibouti was a transit country and that the national contribution to the Protocol was to be a significant one. He noted that implementation of free movement of persons was a challenge as much it presented opportunities for the economic growth in the region.

 Specific objectives of the National Consultative Workshop are:

• To gather information on Benefits and Barriers to Free Movement of Persons in IGAD Region;
• To generate national recommendations towards the Provisions of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in the IGAD Region.

                                                                                               ஜ۩END۩ஜ

06-03-2018 ,Nairobi (Kenya): The IGAD health team met in Nairobi with the RAD consortium partner (Broad reach) in Nairobi from the 4^th through to the 6^th to review progress on the RAD activities and to plan for the remaining two quarters of the year to ensure the success of the Initiative.

20-03-2018, Nairobi (Kenya): Representatives from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Member States drawn from refugee management agencies and ministries responsible for planning, local government and foreign affairs are meeting in Nairobi to review progress on implementation of commitments made under the Nairobi Declaration and Plan of Action on durable solutions for Somali Refugees adopted on 25 March 2017, at the special Summit of IGAD Heads of State and Government.

In attendance is a cross-section of development and humanitarian partners that are supporting member states in the area of refugee management and implementing projects in the four key areas namely:

• accelerating solutions in Somalia by creating an environment conducive for voluntary and sustainable returns;
• delivering durable solutions, whilst maintaining protection and asylum space, and promoting the self-reliance and inclusion of refugees in countries of asylum;
• strengthening sub-regional co-operation; and
• increasing international responsibility sharing.

The meeting of Experts will feed into the Interministerial meeting that will take place on Thursday, 22 March 2018, at which IGAD Member States are expected to set priorities for the next one year, which will guide the technical and financial commitments that will be made by partners.

The experiences shared at this meeting and achievements made by the countries will also contribute to the shaping of a global compact on refugees, on which formal consultations were commenced last month.

                                                                                                   ஜ۩END۩ஜ