Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 12 July 2025 – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), under the leadership of its Executive Secretary, H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, convened the Inter-REC/RM CEOs Coordination Meeting today on the margins of the African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo.
Chaired by H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the meeting brought together Heads of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs) to strengthen strategic coordination and align efforts in delivering the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf commended RECs for their proactive approach to regional integration and underscored the AU’s commitment to deeper collaboration with RECs.
“The African Union values the role of RECs as indispensable partners in delivering Agenda 2063. Our future lies in unity, alignment, and coordinated action. Together, we must move from parallel efforts to collective delivery,” he said.
In his address, H.E. Dr. Workneh highlighted two major achievements under IGAD’s chairmanship of the Coordination Platform:
-
Initiation of formal discussions on a dedicated budget allocation for REC activities, in line with the 2021 Protocol on Relations between the African Union and the RECs/RMs.
-
Securing the appropriate institutional positioning of RECs within the AU Commission structure, affirming their central role in continental governance and integration.
“These are not symbolic gestures—they are structural shifts toward a more coherent, efficient, and African-owned development architecture,” stated the Executive Secretary.
The meeting reaffirmed the importance of joint resource mobilisation, clear division of labour, and sustained political commitment in achieving continental priorities.
The outcomes of this coordination meeting will inform the deliberations of the 7th AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, where AU Organs, RECs, and Member States come together to assess progress and shape collective action for a more integrated and prosperous Africa.
For media inquiries, please contact:
IGAD Communications Unit
Email: commsunit@igad.int
Website: www.igad.int
Twitter: @igadsecretariat
