CEWARN Director Mr. Camlus Omogo participated at the 2019 Global Peace Leadership Conference from 26 February – 1 March in Seoul, Korea. The 2019 Global Peace Leadership Conference was convened by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) with the theme “Korean Dream: Vision for a Unified Korea”.

The conference was emblematic of a civil-society driven initiative for a unified and nuclear free Korea with its timing deliberately aligned with the second Summit between leaders of the USA and North Korea as well as joint centennial celebration of Korea’s 1 March independence movement.

The Global Peace Foundation convenes these large conferences on various global peace and security agenda. The 2018 Global Peace Conference held on 1-3 August in Kampala focused on East and Horn of Africa with a theme “Moral and Innovative Leadership: New Models for sustainable Peace and Development”. GPF rallies multi-sector global actors in supporting peace initiatives around the world.

CEWARN Director was on a panel of experts at a session on “Preventing violent extremism: best practices and community-driven models” on 27 February. Mr. Omogo introduced CEWARN’s early warning model, its application on preventing violent extremism and IGAD’s holistic approach in addressing violent extremism.

He also introduced the work of IGAD’s various units including the IGAD Center of Excellence on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (ICEPVE) and the IGAD Security Sector Programme (ISSP) towards a holistic response to violent extremism including support to member state security structures.

He highlighted “emphasis on prevention”; “a human security approach”, “community and youth engagement” as well as “use of technology and social media” as key considerations behind IGAD’s programmes in preventing and countering violent extremism.

The CEWARN Director also contributed to conversations on the implications of a unified Korea for regional economic integration in the peninsula and other regions including Africa. He also reflected on IGAD’s integration agenda and progress along the priority areas, namely: Free movement of persons; infrastructure and energy connectivity; trade including informal or community-driven trade along borders as well as other initiatives like cross-border disease control for both humans and livestock and peace building initiatives.