The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) hosted a high-level delegation from the European Union (EU), led by Ioana Albulescu of the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA), for a coordination meeting aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between IGAD and the European Union.
The meeting brought together IGAD senior leadership, technical directorates, and EU representatives to review ongoing cooperation, align strategic priorities, and identify opportunities for enhanced collaboration in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to a strong and forward-looking partnership anchored in shared priorities of regional peace and security, climate resilience, and economic integration. The EU acknowledged IGAD’s central role as a regional convening and implementation platform, while IGAD expressed appreciation for the EU’s continued support across multiple sectors.
The discussions emphasized the need to move from fragmented project-based interventions toward more integrated approaches that deliver measurable and sustainable impact in the region.
During the meeting, IGAD presented its emerging Strategy 2026-2030, highlighting key institutional transformation priorities under the new IGAD Treaty. These include strengthening results-based management through enhancing linkage between strategic planning and budgeting, and advancing institutional digital transformation to improve planning, reporting, and coordination.
The EU welcomed these reform efforts and expressed interest in supporting IGAD’s ambition to enhance institutional capacity, structured engagement with Member States and Development partners.
The meeting also reviewed the current EU-IGAD cooperation portfolio, which spans migration governance, cross-border natural resource management, regional stabilization, and economic integration. Both sides acknowledged the positive outcomes achieved and the importance of maintaining strong coordination across programmes.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen the EU-IGAD partnership, enhance coordination, and deliver impactful solutions to the region’s most pressing challenges.
Download the Press Release in PDF below.
Press Release European Union – IGAD Coordination Meeting and INTPA
