10 July 2019, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The Peace and Security Division (PSD) under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in collaboration with Interpeace, an international peace building organization are holding a 3-day workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to explore ways through which they can collaborate in constitution and reform making processes to support durable peace in post conflict contexts.
The technical workshop will also deliberate on the guiding principles, tasks and institutions involved with making a new constitution as well discuss opportunities and pitfalls of international constitutional assistance efforts and how IGAD can provide support to its Member States in constitution making processes.
During the opening session the Monitoring and Evaluation Expert, Mr Bruck Yohannes representing the Peace and Security Director welcomed the initiation and stated that IGAD is mandated to support member states in their effort to promote good governance, peace, security and stability in the region.
“Through a roadmap and way forward for the two organisations we will be able to guide, enhance our existing capacities in constitution making in order for our Member States to acquire, learn and through our guidance be able to implement principles in an inclusive, nationally owned, participatory and transparent constitutions for the benefit of our people in the region” Mr. Yohannes added.
Mr. Hassan Ismail, the Interpeace Kenya Country Representative and Liaison for IGAD/AU Relations reiterated that through tailor made approaches to develop peace building programmes that are locally driven and owned help establish processes of change by connecting communities, civil society, governments and international community have bigger chances of success in build lasting peace in the IGAD region.
“From experience Interppeace takes note that peace cannot be imported from the outside therefore must be built by and from within the Member States of IGAD through their different stakeholders” Mr. Ismail emphasized.
A draft roadmap will be drawn at the conclusion the meeting for Interpeace to provide support to IGAD in the identified capacity gaps that will later be presented to the policy organs of IGAD.
The MoU signed in 2017 in Nairobi between the two organizations was to regulate, encourage and foster a relationship of cooperation on peace building and conflict resilience. Starting with the Mandera Triangle (a geographical area where Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia meet) and leverage on each other’s institutional mandates and capacities.
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