PS Foreign Affairs Meets IGAD Heads in efforts to Enhance Regional Cooperation and Development
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr. Korir Sing’oei has today met Heads of Divisions and Specialized Institutions of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The Nairobi meeting brought together senior officials from Djibouti and Addis Ababa representing key IGAD divisions and institutions, including Peace and Security,Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN),IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC),IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development I(CPALD), and the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden (RESGAS).
During the meeting, Dr. Sing’oei reaffirmed Kenya’s strong commitment to IGAD as a cornerstone of regional cooperation and a vital platform for advancing peace, security, and sustainable development across the Horn of Africa. He stressed the need for IGAD to remain responsive, accountable, and capable of delivering tangible benefits to the people of the region.
The Principal Secretary called on the IGAD administration to strengthen institutional governance by ensuring that all organs operate within clearly defined, rules-based frameworks that promote transparency, accountability, and effective coordination. He highlighted the challenges posed by weak monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of policy organ decisions, urging for enhanced systems to track implementation and impact.
The Nairobi engagement provided an opportunity to review progress of ongoing programmes, assess emerging challenges, and identify ways to enhance coordination between IGAD and its Member States. Discussions also focused on aligning regional initiatives with national priorities in peace building, climate resilience, and economic integration to strengthen the region’s collective impact.
The Principal Secretary reiterated Kenya’s continued support for IGAD and its specialized institutions hosted in Nairobi, including the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD), and the IGAD School of Leadership. He assured the government’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for their effective operation and to working closely with the IGAD Secretariat to promote a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Horn of Africa.
Dr. Fatuma Adan, Head of the IGAD Mission to the Republic of Kenya, expressed gratitude to the Kenyan government for its unwavering support, highlighting the important role Kenya continued to play in enabling IGAD’s success and regional integration efforts.
Among those present were Ambassador Dennis Mburu, Head of the Africa Directorate and Mr. Arthur Olanda, Director of the Peace and Security Division at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and Amb. Dr Mohamed Ali Guyo, IGAD Special Envoy for the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Somalia.