Health and Social Development

September 24, 2021 (New York, USA): H.E. Dr Workmen Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held a bilateral meeting with the Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), Ms. Yasmine Sherif, in New York, on the margin of the 76^th General Assembly of the United Nations.

 Dr. Workneh and Ms. Sherif exchanged ideas on the ongoing partnership between IGAD and ECW on inclusive education for refugees, returnees and host communities as well as IDPs with emphasis on integrating these population groups in national education systems in IGAD member states as stipulated by the Djibouti Declaration.

 During the bilateral meeting, the IGAD Executive Secretary expressed his appreciation to Executive Director of ECW for her support and assured that IGAD will continue to work closely with Education Cannot Wait in future.

The Executive Secretary also invited Ms. Yasmine Sharif to Djibouti in connection with the forthcoming IGAD Minsters in charge of education to be held during the second week of December 2021.

In 2019, IGAD and ECW   signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration (DD).

Education Cannot Wait is a New York _ based international Organization working to ensure access to Education in Emergencies (EIE).

On 13th September 2021, the IGAD COVID-19 response team held a field monitoring visit in Adjumani district, Uganda in collaboration with National Ministry of Health, Adjumani district local Authority and EU-IGAD-COVID-19 partners; UNICEF and IOM for advocacy and monitoring of field activities by the partners. Adjumani district as a refugee host district continues to receive support from the EU-IGAD COVID-19 response to mitigate the health and socioeconomic impact of COVID-19.

August 18, 2021 (ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in collaboration with The African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Organization for Migration convenes the 13th Meeting of the IGAD Regional Consultative Process on Migration (RCP) in Addis Ababa.

The event brings together experts from IGAD Member States spearheading the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) at the national level. Participants also include technical representatives from national ministries, the AU, Regional Economic Communities representatives, UN agencies, private sector, development partners, National Human Rights Institutions, NGOs and CSOs.

During this two-day meeting, participants will review the implementation of the GCM in the IGAD region, share experiences and contribute to the regional review report that will feed into the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) in 2022.

Speaking for IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr Mohamed Elduma-Senior Programme Coordinator at IGAD Health and Social Development Division noted that “the region is characterised by diverse forms of migration and human mobility is both a lifeline and a lifestyle for majority of the population”. “These migrants embody the region’s dynamism, adaptability and future, as they seek to better themselves and contribute both to the communities they come from and those to which they migrate”, he said

He highlighted that “integrating migration and human mobility into the national development is an important entry point”. “I am proud to note that some member states have already taken measure to promote this”, he continued as he opened the meeting.

The 13th Meeting of the IGAD Regional Consultative Process on Migration (RCP) meeting will mainly:

1. reflect on the state of migration in the IGAD region in different areas of migration governance;
2. highlight promising examples of migration governance in the IGAD region;
3. identify gaps and challenges in the GCM implementation in the IGAD Region; and
4. identify areas where IGAD Region requires further support to successfully

The outcome document of the IGAD RCP meeting will be submitted as an input to the Africa Regional GCM Review and the Global International Migration Review Forum in 2022.

The Swedish Government and German Cooperation (GIZ) provided financial and technical support for the meeting.

In December 2018, UN member States adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). The adoption of the GCM represented a landmark moment in the pursuit of international cooperation on migration for the benefit of all. It is the first ever negotiated global framework on a common approach to international migration in all its dimensions. Inter-State consultation mechanisms on migration – like the -IGAD Migration Dialogue – are among the stakeholders for the GCM implementation and review.

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The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is one of the foremost regional economic communities (RECs) championing for peace, stability and sustainable development in Africa. IGAD has used all available platforms to build peace, prevent and resolve conflicts and support its member states in reconciliation processes, post-conflict reconstruction, good governance, and transition towards democracy.

A very large portion of the population is the IGAD region is youth under the age of 25.

Education in general and skills development in particular are seen as important interventions in fostering durable peace, gainful employment and socioeconomic transformation in the region.

This is one of the reason why IGAD adopted a regional education policy framework that aspires to promote quality, relevant, affordable, accessible and inclusive education in the region. This policy framework emanated from the Djibouti Declaration on Education for Refugees, Returnees and Host Communities adopted by IGAD ministers in charge of education in line with the commitments made by the IGAD Heads of State and Government under the Nairobi Declaration in 2017.

Since then, IGAD has been implementing a number of projects and initiatives in the education sector. One of this is a regional scholarship scheme launched by the Executive Secretary of IGAD, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, during the First IGAD Universities’ Forum held in Jigjiga, Ethiopia, on 5-6 April 2021.

The rationale behind the IGAD scholarship scheme is to facilitate inclusive access to scholarship among the youth in displacement and refugee situations, since higher education and skills development opportunities are extremely inaccessible for this category of people. Moreover, IGAD considers scholarship for young people as a cornerstone of regional integration, people-to-people interaction and mutual understanding; all of which are building blocks for peace and stability in the region and beyond.

IGAD will continue to work with a wide-range of bilateral and multilateral partners to ensure equitable access to education and to inculcate the spirit of solidarity and fraternity among the youth so that they will continue to play constructive roles in society.

Another aspect of IGAD promoting Youth for the wider agenda of peace and prosperity for the IGAD region, the IGAD Peace and Security Division launched the IGAD Youth Forum for Peace on April 29, 2021 in Entebbe, Uganda in the presence of the IGAD Executive Secretary, Minister of State for Youth of Republic of Uganda, representatives of National Youth Associations and Youth Ministries of IGAD member states.

The IGAD Youth Forum for Peace is a regional platform to give youth an opportunity to express their ideas, opinions, and needs to decision makers, and mobilise the youth community for peace at national and regional level. The regional platform will create opportunity for the youth of the region to play their role for durable and sustainable peace. The initiative aims at inspiring young people to be change makers and to take responsibility to make a difference in their community. It will also encourage the youth to commit personal responsibility in their respective countries in promoting, peace building, social cohesion and actualisation of respective development agenda. The forum will be instrumental to link the policy space and the voice of the youth, and to mobilise the Youth for peace, security and stability in the region.

The forum is expected to provide the institutionalised platforms for deliberations and communications to enhance understanding of youth’s aspiration, priorities and concerns, and shared values. It will also serve as a platform for youth to engage with IGAD and the Member States on regional peace and security agenda and enable to enhance a better understanding of how the youth can contribute to peace in the region. The next step will be operationalising of the Forum mainly in developing institutional instruments and training of selected youth leaders of the Region. IGAD will also appoint IGAD Youth Envoys in collaboration with member states’ relevant institutions.

By:
Kebede Kassa Tsegaye, PhD
Senior Program Coordinator
Education, Science, Technology and Innovation

And
Moges Ali
Governance Officer
Political Affairs Programme
August 17, 2021

16 August, 2021 (Gambella, Ethiopia): The Intergovernmental; Authority on Development (IGAD), kick-started today, 16 August 2021a regional initiative to train teachers teaching refugee and host community children in secondary schools. The training is organized through the financial and technical support of the Government of the Germany through GIZ, and implemented by a Consultancy Firm called Particip.

July 27, 2021 (Khartoum, Sudan): The Division of Social Development of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in partnership with the University of Khartoum, Republic of Sudan, conducted a two-day consultative meeting of the Board of ICHE, on 26-27 July 2021, at the University of Khartoum, Sudan. The objectives of this meeting included, among others, to:

• Familiarize the Board with the Statue of the ICHE;
• Discuss on research networks and generate recommendations for inter-university cooperation within IGAD member states;
• Identify existing and emerging thematic areas disciplinary clusters;
• Adopt the Board’s Action Plan for the next two years;
• Identify potential donors/funding partners to support the work of ICHE and
• Assign Focal Points in each Board Member University to coordinate the activities of the Board in collaboration with the IGAD Secretariat.

This high level meeting of the Board of ICHE was attended by Vice Chancellors, Presidents, Deputy Vice Chancellors/Presidents from Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), Jigjiga University (Ethiopia), University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of Juba (South Sudan),  International University of Africa (Sudan), University of Khartoum (Sudan), Ahfad University for Women (Sudan) and Makerere University (Uganda). The meeting was also attended by staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Sudan as well as staff from the IGAD Secretariat.

Speaking at the opening session of the Board meeting, H.E. Professor Intisar Soghayroun, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Government of Sudan, welcomed the distinguished delegates, extended appreciations to IGAD for creating such a regional platform which emanated from the IGAD Education Policy Framework adopted in 2018 and for establishing the IGAD Council of Higher Education (ICHE). She also commended IGAD for its effort to integrate the region through Higher Education.

She added that, “It is doubtful that we can achieve neither African Agenda 2063 … nor UN SDGs without strong higher education”. Finally, Professor Intisar stressed that, using education as a tool for regional integration, “We need to think about wider partnership:

• For green transition energy access;
• Digital transformation;
• Sustainable growth and jobs;
• Peace and governance;
• Migration and mobility.

Professor Fadwa Taha, the Vice Chancellor of University of Khartoum and Current Chairperson of the Board of ICHE, extended warm welcome to her fellow board members and all participants. She said she was delighted both to be the Chair of the First Board and to host this important meeting. Prof Fadwa guided the deliberations successfully with remarkable hospitality and punctuality.

The Acting Director of Social Development, Dr. Mohamed Elduma, also welcomed the participants and give overviews on the background and context that led to the establishment of the IGAD Council of Higher Education.

The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sudan, Ms Asrar Ahmed also delivered welcoming remarks.

At the end of the two days thorough deliberations the Board members appreciated the importance of ICHE and opportunities of having a regional platform for higher education in sharing best practices, enhancing regional integration and cooperation between universities in both in the public and private sectors.

The Board members also recommended the grouping of IGAD universities into five thematic clusters or networks to identify and strengthen centers of excellence in each cluster/disciplines with the view to enable universities to solve problems facing the region. They also adopted the Board’s Plan of Action for the next two years (August 2021 to Jul 2023). The plan included, among others, organizing a high level regional conference of IGAD ministers in charge of higher education.

July 23, 2021 (MANDERA, Kenya): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), yesterday handed over one Ambulance to the Government of Kenya, Ministry of Health for Mandera County during an official ceremony held at the Mandera County Headquarters

The event was graced by the Executive Secretary (ES) for IGAD, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, the Governor for Mandera County, H.E Capt Ali Roba, the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for Health of Kenya, Hon Dr. Rashid Aman, the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Kenya. Also in attendance were H.E Meles Alem, Kenya Country Representative of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and the IGAD Head of Mission for the Republic of Kenya participated.

The donation of the ambulance is part of the EU-IGAD COVID-19 Response project intended to mitigate impact of COVID-19 in the IGAD region.

“I am delighted on behalf of the IGAD Secretariat to join hands with the Republic of Kenya, the County Government of Mandera and the Communities at this confluence of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia as we strike another blow against the social and economic effects of Covid-19’, said the Executive Secretary in his remarks. “The Ambulance we are delivering today to the people of Mandera County is in fulfilment of the promise we made as part of the consignment of 25,000 N95 masks, 25,000 surgical masks, 125,000 gloves and 2,500 COVID-19 test kits that have already been distributed”, he continued

Dr Workneh recalled that IGAD had supported “displaced and cross-border communities with over 5 million medical masks, 1 million COVID-19 test kits, 4 million surgical gloves, 21 Ambulances, Utility Vehicles and Mobile Laboratories that have been distributed across 21 Cross-Border sites, 7 Refugee Camps and IDP settlements as well as 4 Migrant Reception Centers.

He also expressed appreciation to the European Union, the Swiss Development Cooperation, UNOPS and FAO for their support

In February 2021, various assortment of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Laboratory test kits for COVID-19 (25,056 tests), two standard ambulances, one advanced ambulance and a mobile laboratory worth 1.9 million Euros were donated to the Republic of Kenya.

A mobile laboratory is expected in the country at a later date and will be handed over to the respective priority cross border site in the country. The third ambulance under the EU-IGAD COVID-19 response project will be handed over to the Turkana County at a later date. They will be put in use at cross-border areas.

The European Union allocated a 60 million Euros package to help tackle the health and socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in support of IGAD region in its mandate to coordinate national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is part of the Team Europe Global Response package (EU and its member states) to support partner countries intervention to the pandemic and its consequences.

The project focuses on vulnerable groups, including migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons, and cross-border communities, including more than euro 13 million worth of medical supplies and equipment.

Main activities under the EU-IGAD COVID-19 Response project package include the provision of health responses, WASH services, prevention of gender-based violence and risk communication. The project also helps ensure borders and critical supply chains so as they are safe for trade. Through the component managed by GIZ, it promotes also digital solutions to monitor the crisis. The project aims to support more than 1 million people across the region.

30^th June, 2021(Mombasa, Kenya): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) this morning closed ceremony for resource mobilization workshop for IGAD Health Digitalization Initiative held in Mombasa, Kenya from 28th to 30th June 2021.

This 3-days workshop reviewed success stories and major achievement made by IGAD Regional Action through Data (RAD) in last 5 years as well as outlined focus areas for the coming 5-years. In this regard, the next five years the programme plans to:

1. Expand and upscale the journey solution to include other communicable diseases and cover 50 sites by June 2022
2. Establish a regional disease surveillance platform to monitor disease outbreaks.
3. Establish a regional (IGAD) data Warehouse
4. Establish and equip a regional Health Information unit
5. Set up a regional health policy implementation task team

In attendance was the Executive secretary and during his closing remarks, H. E IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu PhD underlined linkages between reliable data sharing and regional integration. He pointed out that data sharing through digitalization process is a major vehicle for regional integration. The Executive Secretary stated that RAD initiative is a catalyst in achieving sustainable digitalization for regional health care and data sharing.

Finally, H.E quoted a clear strategy to implement data sharing and protection policy for the member states under the leadership of IGAD. This policy will help Member state governments to adequately

prepare for disease surveillance and response timely for future pandemics and endemics in the region.