June 18, 2022 (Mombasa, Kenya) IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, Director of Peace and Security Division Hon. Siraj Fegessa and heads of the various specialized units and programmes of the peace and security division convened on 14-17 June 2022 in Mombasa to consider a draft peace and security sector strategy that will guide the organisation’s work through 2025.
The sector strategy lays out IGAD’s priority areas of intervention that are geared towards tackling the region’s complex and highly dynamic human security challenges.
The strategy’s priority areas of intervention include: conflict early warning, preventive diplomacy and mediation; tackling trans-national organised crimes and countering violent extremism; as well as promoting good governance; democracy; human rights and rule of law.
IGAD’s intervention in the new strategy period will build on the work done thus far along the priority areas of intervention in conflict early warning, developing IGAD’s mediation support capacity, support to trans-national security and regional security sector reform; countering violent extremism as well as support to promotion of democracy and good governance in member states.
IGAD will also continue to support the peace processes and stabilization efforts in South Sudan and Somalia. In addition, IGAD will continue to strengthen the engagement of women and youth in its peace and security agenda as well as promote a regional common position on the Red Sea and the Gulf States.
During the meeting, a resource mobilization guide and an assessment report of IGAD’s partnerships with regional and global partners were presented and deliberated upon. In addition, proposals to improve communications and visibility of the division as well as monitoring and evaluation systems were considered.
The activity was implemented with financial support from the European Union through the IGAD Promoting Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa region (IPPSHAR) programme.