BY YOHANES JEMANEH
A comparative peace has been achieved in Ethiopia since the announcement of the unilateral humanitarian truce by the federal government aimed at facilitating humanitarian support and rehabilitation efforts in northern parts of the country.
Accordingly, unfettered humanitarian support is reaching to people in need, and restoration efforts are also underway. This peace initiative from the government side has bought wide appreciation from various international partners and regional blocs of which the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) is one of them.
The regional bloc has appreciated the government for its maximum effort to reach peace. In a communique published following the conclusion of the 39th Extraordinary Assembly of IGAD Heads of State and Government that was held on fifth July 2022 in Kenya, IGAD has appreciated the positive steps taken by the government of Ethiopia toward humanitarian access and the peaceful resolution of the conflict affecting the northern part of Ethiopia and the national all-inclusive national dialogue. In this regard, IGAD expressed its readiness to support ongoing efforts.
IGAD also commended peace initiatives in Sudan and South Sudan. And it has underscored the need to collaboratively address and diplomatically tackle national political and security related issues that bear greater ramifications on the IGAD region.
The bloc also emphasized on the need to reaffirm commitment of member states to realize enduring peace and economic development. In his official remark during the summit, IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu (PhD) underscored on the responsibilities of member states towards ensuring the shared aspirations of peace, prosperity and regional integration.
He said that the summit was a clear demonstration of the commitment of leaders of IGAD member countries to multilateralism in addressing common challenges and taking advantage of opportunities available. The peace and security situation in the region and the drought scourge need concerted efforts.
Mentioning the significance of the 39th extraordinary summit, the executive secretary said, “now we come together to address the challenges that are bigger than each of us individually, as well as grasp the opportunities that are of mutual benefit to us all.”
The summit is a sign of solidarity between member states which helps improve the standing of the bloc. It also sends a clear message to the region and international community that leadership is seized of the pressing matters in the region, he believed.
Workneh also expressed confidence that the gathering of leaders of IGAD member states is an opportunity for the region to benefit immensely from their wisdom during the discussion on matters of common concern to the people in the region.
“The bold steps that you have all taken to always bring us together have won the confidence of the international community and mobilized extraordinary levels of political and material support from our international partners,” Workneh said.
At the summit, IGAD appreciated and recognized Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta for his advocacy of the IGAD vision of a peaceful, prosperous and integrated region throughout his term of office.
Receiving the reward, Uhuru Kenyatta noted that a stable region was beneficial to all IGAD member states, adding that no progress would be realized without peace and security.
“As leaders, it is incumbent upon us to work together boldly and creatively to navigate the multiple crises we face, seize opportunities as they emerge and define a path of peace and sustainable economic development,” Kenyatta said. President Kenyatta also assured his country’s commitment to continue to invest in regional efforts to secure peace and stability.
“Our discussions today are, therefore, of immense importance to Kenya because we recognize that our political and economic stability is dependent on the stability of the IGAD region. This is why we are invested in regional efforts to secure peace and stability,” he said.
According to the President, Kenya will not waiver in its commitment to collaborating with regional and international partners in strengthening conflict prevention and promoting sustainable peace and development.
Attending the Summit, African Union Commission representative Amb. Bankole Adeoye echoed Kenyatta’s call for IGAD member states to work together in bolstering regional peace and security as well as in addressing emerging issues such as violent extremism and climate change.
“The African Union Commission stands ready to scale up support for IGAD initiatives in all these areas. We work together to consolidate political transitions, to address the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, and to ensure collective security remains our overriding goal,” he said.
During the summit, the bloc has recognized the impact of the ongoing humanitarian crisis and conflicts on vulnerable, mobile and displaced populations, and committed to sustaining the momentum of the IGAD Support Platform in order to promote collective regional responses toward creating enabling conditions for durable solutions by addressing the protection, humanitarian development and peace-related needs of communities affected by forced displacement.
“We shall continue the tradition of originating amicable and effective solutions to the challenges affecting our region. It is with this solemn duty in mind that IGAD has embarked on establishing a leadership academy that will be hosted here in the Republic of Kenya and we are most grateful to Uhuru Kenyatta for accepting to serve as its patron,” Workneh said.
With the backing of its Member States, IGAD has benefited from the support of many partners across the world who are firm believers in multilateralism. In his closing, Workneh made an appeal to member states to contribute support to the bloc to make it effective in undertaking its role. He said IGAD is as strong as the support it gets from its Member States and vice versa.
In order to continue effectively serving the interests of the people in this region, the Secretariat has called on the Member States to tangibly demonstrate their political and material support for the organization. “Your support as our leaders is what we truly need to translate the decisions that shall be made here in this room, into achievable actions for the benefit of the region,” he said.
The IGAD which works on political, social and economic improvement in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda has concluded the 39th Extraordinary Summit last Tuesday publishing a joint communique that constitutes 17 resolutions.
IGAD leaders who attended the summit included Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Second Vice President Taban Deng Gai of South Sudan, Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid of Somalia and Defense Minister Vincent Ssempijja of Uganda.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 12 JULY 2022
