A technical meeting aimed at charting the way forward for IGAD regional integration agenda was held in Djibouti.
IGAD Executive Secretary, Eng. Mahboub Maalim, speaking to delegates from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda noted that IGAD Member States had since 1996 endeavored to pursue regional integration agenda.
Urging the commitment of member states, Eng. Maalim said “In order to maximize our efforts, resources and time in our endeavor to build a beneficial regional economic community, we need to move beyond talking and planning and focus on implementing what we envisage.”
“Interventions should focus on three main pillars of engagement,” advised the Executive Secretary, citing cross border infrastructure, trade, investment and financial integration, and regional public goods.
“Inadequate connectivity (transport and communications infrastructure) and costly and unreliable power pose a serious constraint to many enterprises that might otherwise be in a position to increase exports,” said Eng. Maalim.
An upcoming meeting of Council of Ministers is expected to review and adopt recommendations from this meeting.
