The third round of IGAD-EU consultations took place on the margins of the AU- EU ministerial meeting on Tuesday (January 22). The meeting was chaired by Ethiopia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Hirut Zemene and Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security. The two sides welcomed the “historic developments in the Horn of Africa with the normalization of relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the tripartite agreement between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, as well as the engagement of Eritrea and Djibouti and Eritrea and Sudan towards normalization of relations”. This offered major new openings for regional cooperation and economic integration and the EU expressed its readiness “to accompany this process in close coordination with other actors.”
The two sides strongly condemned last week’s terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya and expressed support for the reform agenda in Somalia, and underlined the need for implementation of the political, security and economic reforms. The EU reiterated its commitment to support Somalia’s Recovery and Resilience Framework, AMISOM and the Somalia Transition Plan. The two sides also reiterated their support for the peace process in South Sudan and the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, underlining the importance of implementation in full and according to the agreed timescale. IGAD requested the EU to consider further support to the South Sudan Pre-transition activities.
IGAD Ministers expressed their appreciation for EU’s continued constructive role in the region, and welcomed high level engagement. Both sides emphasized a desire for regular dialogue. They encouraged future engagements on deliverables for the region’s priority agenda such as job creation. They highlighted opportunities for strengthening the gains made through advancing an integration agenda while underlining the importance of continuing cooperation in fighting terrorism and threats to peace and security. They agreed to promote regional cooperation, training and capacity building and to use all opportunities to strengthen inclusive regional and cross-regional cooperation and dialogue across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, covering trade, migration, climate change, food security, peace and security and maritime security.
The EU underlined the importance of sound economic strategies and long-term political will in sustaining “current positive dynamics in the region”. It said it was preparing further substantial support to economic integration and trade, in the context of the EU Africa Alliance for investment and jobs. It reiterated its commitment to the region as a whole and underlined its support to the IGAD framework of cooperation.
