November 4, 2025 (Djibouti, Djibouti) The IGAD Secretariat hosted a regional stocktake meeting on the implementation of the Kampala Declaration on jobs, livelihoods, and self-reliance for refugees, returnees, and host communities from 3–4 December 2025 in Djibouti City, Djibouti.
The gathering brought together IGAD Member States and partners to assess progress, share lessons, and reinforce commitments on economic inclusion and social protection in preparation for the 2025 Global Refugee Forum (GRF) progress review.
Member States shared their annual progress in implementing the Declaration across five priority areas: creating conducive legal and policy environments; strengthening engagement with the private sector and civil society; supporting sustainable return and reintegration; improving natural resource management for livelihoods; and enhancing regional coordination, partnerships, and financing.
Representing the IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, the Director for Health and Social Development, Ambassador Moussa Meigague, said the Declaration underscores the region’s commitment to promoting sustainable livelihoods that enhance the well-being of all citizens.
Ambassador Meigague noted that this commitment is especially critical at a time marked by growing peace and security challenges, increased humanitarian needs resulting from new refugee inflows, and declining financial support for refugee-hosting countries under the principle of burden-sharing.
“This means we need to accelerate the inclusion of refugees and returnees into national systems and services—such as education, documentation, and national development plans,” said Amb. Meigague.
“Let us build on the momentum generated here to ensure that refugees, returnees, and host communities are not only included but empowered to thrive economically and socially.”
The stocktake meeting served as a platform both to review IGAD member states’ progress of the 2023 Global Refugee Forum’s Economic Inclusion and Social Protection pledges, and to pilot the use of the robust Declaration’s Monitoring and Evaluation framework to track progress and ensure accountability.
Participants highlighted that meaningful progress has been enabled by strong collaboration among partners, ministries, and agencies, reaffirming that the Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach remains central to achieving this particular pledge.
Senior officials from ministries of in charge of refugee affairs, labour, finance, planning, TVET and central banks, as well as representatives of refugee communities and private sector attended the review meeting.
Under the Kampala Declaration framework, IGAD co-convenes the 2023 Global Pledge on Economic Inclusion and Social Protection with the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, alongside UNHCR, Germany, the United States, the Netherlands, Denmark, the ILO, and the Poverty Alleviation Network. The multi-stakeholder pledge aimed to support member states to boost refugee self-reliance by enhancing law and policy, programming and document evidence base.
