31-07-2017, Entebbe, Uganda: The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) this morning kick started a two day 5th Maritime Security Coordination Committee (MSCC) meeting in Entebbe, Uganda.

The meeting brings together all stakeholders in a forum that includes national, regional, international actors in order to take stock of the progress made since the last MSCC meeting of August 2016.

The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources and Co-Chair of the MSCC; Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Hashi officiated the meeting in the presence of Amb. Tewolde Gebreskel, the Director of Peace and Security; Ms. Maria Christina Stepanesai, Head of EU-CAP Somalia; H.E Abdullahi Olad Roble, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Federal government of Somalia and other dignitaries from the regional states of Somalia as well as development and UN agencies.

During the opening statement Amb Tewolde assured the participants of IGAD’s unwavered support, dedication and effort towards the maritime domain as well as building governance capabilities and harnessing resources for the development of Somali and for the benefit of its people.

‘We pledge to continue supporting the MSCC as well as strengthen the linkages between the regional states and federal government through different mechanisms such as MSCC that are currently operational’ Amb. Tewolde concluded.

Dr. Hashi in the same spirit called upon all stakeholders to work together to strengthen Somalia’s maritime security which is priority to both the government and the federal member states to have an economic reconstructed and revitalized and secure Somalia.

‘We appreciate IGAD’s effort to bring the stakeholders together and look forward to working closely with international partners in laying foundations of the institutions as well as capacity building of the maritime security’ added Dr. Hashi.

The two day meeting will also get the participants to share lessons, challenges and forge ways forward to combat existing and consistent challenges as illegal and unregulated fishing, piracy and illegal foreign vessels.

Attachments:

ENTEBBE COMMUNIQUE

[ENTEBBE COMMUNIQUE ]

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2017-08-02 08:25

7 July 2017, Djibouti, Djibouti: A high level IGAD delegation that the Executive Secretary, H.E. Ambassador (Eng.) Mahboub Maalim headed, briefed a joint meeting of the Sanctions Committees of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Somalia and Eritrea, as well as Al-Qaida and ISIL (Da’esh) on 30th June 2017 in New York, USA.

14-06-2017, Kampala (Uganda): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), this morning opened a Validation Workshop on Strategic Guidelines on Mediation for IGAD Mediators under the leadership of the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Djibouti and Chair IGAD Committee of Ambassadors (COA), H.E Amb Shamebo Fitamo.

This two-day workshop is bringing together members of IGAD Committee of Ambassador (COA) and the members of the IGAD Roster of Mediators for the purpose of validating the draft IGAD Strategic Guidelines on Mediation for the IGAD Mediation Support Unit (MSU). 

This meeting is also an opportune moment for IGAD Committee of Ambassadors and IGAD Rosters of Mediators to interact, identify and discuss some of the challenges faced so far, as well as to engage member states on several accounts related to conflict prevention through preventive diplomacy and mediation. It is providing an opportunity for members of IGAD COA to acquaint themselves with members of IGAD Roster of Mediators, and to be briefed on the development of IGAD MSU and the IGAD normative capacity on Mediation which is in line with the COA Resolution of September 2012.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Fitamo recalled that as “early as the 1990s, the IGAD region has been and is currently playing a crucial role in mediation and peace process”. He recalled the high level mediation efforts by IGAD in South Sudan and Somalia notably. He also highlighted that the outcomes of the meeting were “expected to strengthen the region’s mediation and preventive diplomacy capacity”. “It would also give an impetus to resolve disputes amicably without embarking on violence and anarchy”, he said in conclusion.

The Director of Peace and Security Division-IGAD, Ambassador Tewolde Gebremeskel, told the audience that the Mediation Strategy Guidelines were “the beginning of our effort to institutionalize preventive diplomacy and mediator”. He took the opportunity to recognize the commitment by the members of the IGAD Roster of Mediators for their time and efforts in the development of the mediation guidelines document from inception to validation. He also recognized the members of the Committee of Ambassadors. “I am confident that the COA will take the opportunity to share their experiences and interact with Roster members during this two days deliberation”, he said.

The IGAD Focal Point at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, Ambassador Paul Mukumbya, officially opened the workshop in his capacity as Guest of Honour after brief welcoming remarks.

According to Dr Aleu Garang, Coordinator of the IGAD Mediation Support Unit, these Strategic Guidelines on Mediation document “serve to inform Mediators on steps to be followed in order to achieve professionally oriented, politically correct, and impartial efficient intervention in conflict prevention or mediation processes”.

The workshop is held in partnership with the African Center for the Constructive Resolution (ACCORD) and financial support from the Kingdom of Sweden and the European Union.

Attachments:

Resolution of the IGAD Committee of Ambassadors

[Resolution of the IGAD Committee of Ambassadors]

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2017-07-24 06:33

Mauritius, 12th April 2017 – “The recent events [with three acts of piracy off the Somali coasts after five years of calm], reminded us that maritime insecurity remains a major challenge in the Western Indian Ocean. That is why we must not slacken our efforts”. On the occasion of the opening of the fifth Steering Committee of the Regional Programme for the Promotion of Maritime Security (MASE), on the 6th of April 2017 in Bagatelle (Mauritius), Indian Ocean Commission’s (IOC) General-Secretary, Hamada Madi, enjoined the regional organizations and the countries of the Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, as well as the international community to “remain mobilised in our region that is strategic for world trade”  

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Interpeace to work together on peace initiatives in Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa.