IGAD Special Envoys issued a Press Release on 5 August 2014 expressing concern over the absence of the SPLM/A – In Opposition, today (the second day) of at Multi-stakeholder roundtable peace talks for South Sudan in Addis Ababa.

Refer to Press Release

The fifth session of IGAD-led Multi-stakeholder roundtable Peace Talks for South Sudan that was initially scheduled to commence on 30 July 2014 resumed on 4 August 2014 in Addis Ababa. The session’s key agenda will be to finalize and sign the Cessation of Hostilities Matrix and negotiations on details of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

The opening session of the talks was attended by delegates of the Government of South Sudan, SPLM/A – In Opposition, SPLM Leaders ( Former Detainees) and representatives of political parties as well as civil society and faith based organisations from South Sudan.

The fifth session of the IGAD-led Mediation Process for South Sudan that was initially scheduled to commence on 30 July 2014 has been rescheduled for 4 August 2014 in Addis Ababa. The delay is caused by extended holidays of Eid el-Fitr and National Martyr’s Day celebrations in Juba. Delegates are expected to arrive on 3rd August 2014.

Refer to Press Release

IGAD Executive Secretary Amb.(Eng.) Mahboub Maalim conducted an official mission to Kampala on 29 July 2014 where he held consultations with the First Lady and Minister of Karamoja Affairs of the Republic of Uganda H.E. Janet Museveni.

Amb. Maalim and the First Lady consulted on a number of issues including the progress in the implementation of the IGAD-led Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRISI) as well as regional security concerns.

They also held discussions on follow up measures related to the Karamoja Cluster Affairs’ Ministerial meeting held on 14 October 2013 in Kampala. Amb. Maalim thanked the First Lady for her unwavering support to IGAD and briefed her on ongoing engagements with World Bank for support to IDDRSI programs across the region including Uganda. In the same vein, he thanked her for her continued exemplary support to related programmes in Uganda.

Amb. Maalim also appraised the First Lady on the progress of the implementation of the resolutions of the Karamoja Ministerial meeting of 14 October 2014 and presented a proposal on the establishment of a Karamoja regional coordination unit based in Moroto, Uganda. He further proposed for the holding of a follow-up Ministerial Meeting later in the year.

The Karamoja Cluster Affairs’ Ministerial Meeting of 14 October was co-hosted by the First Lady and Amb. Maalim last year to initiate a regional ministerial platform on harmonizing peace, security and development initiatives across the Karamoja Cluster that encompasses cross border areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda.

The First Lady expressed her commitment to support these initiatives and spoke of her keen interest to faciliate regional learning exchanges. In this regard, she indicated a plan to visit Isiolo Conservancy in Kenya and extended an invitation to local community leaders to visit the Karamoja region of Uganda.

Amb. Maalim was accompanied by other IGAD Officials including CEWARN Director Mr. Richard Barno; Dr. John Kabayo, Coordinator of IGAD Drought Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI), Dr. Solomon J. M. Munyua, Acting Director of IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD); and Mr. Alberto Vega GIZ advisor to IGAD.

IGAD Special Envoys for South Sudan today announced the planned resumption of IGAD-led peace talks for South Sudan on 30 July 2014 to 10th August 2014. The agenda of the next session will be to finalize and sign the Cessation of Hostilities Matrix; and negotiation on details of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU). Following the adjournment of the fourth Session of IGAD- led South Sudan Peace Process in Addis Ababa on 23rd June 2014, the IGAD Special Envoys have carried out broad consultations with various actors and stakeholders in the South Sudan peace Process. Refer to Press Release for details

The Chairperson of the IGAD Special Envoys to the South Sudan Peace Process and his delegation currently in Juba expressed regrets about the unfortunate attack by the SPLM/A–In Opposition in Nasir on the positions of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GRSS) on 20th July 2014. The delegation is in Juba consult with the GRSS and other stakeholders on how to reconvene the process in Addis in the coming days.

Refer to full version of the Press Release

IGAD’s Mediation Support Unit (MSU) is conducting a three-day training programme on peace building and mediation for IGAD Member State Officials and representatives of civil society organisations engaged in peace work across Djibouti, Ethopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda.

 The training programme that began on 7 July 2014 in Nairobi covers a broad spectrum of modules such as basic concepts of mediation; mandate of a mediator; conflict analysis and assessment in the context of mediation processes; and implementation of peace agreements.

The training programme is organised in partnership with the South Africa-based African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD).

The IGAD Executive Secretary Amb.(Eng.) Mahboub Maalim who addressed the training programme indicated that building regional capacity in Mediation and peace building in the IGAD region is urgent in light of the nearly herculean peace and security challenges. He added, IGAD intends to continue to devise various capacity programmes including follow up trainings that are aimed at equipping regional experts to join the ranks of highly skilled mediators across the African continent.

The IGAD Executive Secretary Amb.(Eng.) Mahboub Maalim and GIZ’s advisor for IGAD Mr. Alberto Vega today signed in Addis Ababa, minutes of an appraisal meeting for a renewed partnership between the two organisations on regional peace and security programmes.

The signing follows engagements from 1- 4 July 2014 between CEWARN technical staff, and other partners with a team of GIZ consultants led by Ms. Bernadette Schulz to appraise priority areas for partnership.

Identified areas of common interest include mainstreaming of gender and women issues in peace and security; track II and Track III mediation in South Sudan as well as support to CEWARN’s early warning work in the Karamoja Cluster within the context of the IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRISI).

The team also engaged with Heads of CEWARN’s national conflict early warning and response units from Ethiopia and South Sudan as well as other partner organizations in Addis Ababa including the Institute of Peace and Security Studies (IPSS).

CEWARN convened a Project Cycle Management Training of Trainers workshop from 23- 28 June 2014  in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants are drawn from CEWARN’s national Conflict Early Warning and Response Units (CEWERUs) of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. The training workshop is part of a series of trainings organised by the CEWARN Unit on Project Cycle Managment with focus on Monitoring and Evaluation. The trainings are aimed at equipping the mechanism’s national Units in project management.

The IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government held its 26th Extra-Ordinary Summit on the 10th of June 2014 at the National Palace in Addis Ababa, under the Chairmanship of H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and current Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly, to discuss the situation in the Republic of South Sudan.

The Summit was preceded by the 52nd Extra-ordinary session of the IGAD Council of Ministers and a closed-door consultation by IGAD Leaders with H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) and Dr. Riek Machar, former Vice President of RSS and Leader of the SPLM/A- In Opposition

Refer to Communique of the 26th extra-ordinary session of the IGAD Assembly’s Summit meeting on decisions taken