The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held its 2nd High Level Retreat on Mediation focused on Experience-sharing between members of the IGAD Roster of Mediators and members of the Pan-African Network of the Wise (PanWise) in Durban in partnership with the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD).
The purpose of this High-Level Retreat was to create a platform for experience sharing and learning between members of the IGAD Roster of Mediators, the African Union’s Members of the Panel of the Wise, and members of Pan Wise from the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) such as the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), the International Conference for Great Lakes Region (ICGR) and Southern African Development Community (SADC). The High Level Retreat also provided an opportune time for the Pan-African Network of Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation (FemWise) to hold a consultative session with women representatives mainly from the IGAD Region, and other regions.
This retreat provided an opportunity for IGAD Roster Members to enhance their understanding of ongoing conflict prevention efforts in other regions of the continent, the complexities of mediating conflicts that arise as a result of specific drivers of conflict that includes constitutional crises, election-related violence, struggle over hegemony to power , and conflict over scarce resources and exploitation of identities. This notwithstanding, the participants noted with appreciation that Africa has robust peace, security, and governance frameworks and infrastructure which require that we double our efforts to implement them so as not to reverse the gains that we continue to make towards building a politically stable and economically prosperous continent.
