16-11-2017, Djibouti (Djibouti): The Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), H.E. Amb (Eng.) Mahboub Maalim, opened a two-day meeting for global and regional organisations over mediation today in Djibouti.
The participants are comprised of senior expert focal points on conflict prevention and mediation from the African Union, the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the European Union (EU), the ASEAN Institute for Peace & Reconciliation, and the United Nations.
The meeting focuses on four main themes: support to national and local mediation; engaging non-state armed groups; preventing/mediating election related violence; and natural resources mediation.
In his remarks during an opening session, Amb (Eng.) Maalim praised the high level representation and expertise from the organisations before giving a brief overview of IGAD since its foundation in 1986. He touched on the current IGAD Peace & Security strategy with Mediation as its pillar number two.
“IGAD has been involved in and leading peace processes in Sudan and South Sudan, which process led to the referendum of the Independence of South Sudan”, Amb Maalim continued. He also mentioned the recent revitalisation of the IGAD-led peace process in South Sudan and the mediation efforts in Somalia. He said his conviction about the meeting being fruitful.
The regional organisation meetings on mediation were hosted in turn by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2012, the League of Arab States (LAS) in 2014; and the European Union (EU) in 2015.
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