IGAD was created in 1996 to supersede the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development(IGADD), which was founded in 1986. This followed the recurring and severe drought and other natural disasters between 1974 and 1984 that caused widespread famine, ecological degradation and economic hardship in the Eastern Africa region. Although individual countries made substantial efforts to cope with the situation and received generous support from the international community, the magnitude and extent of the problem argued strongly for a regional approach to supplement national efforts.
In 1983 and 1984, six countries in the Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia,Sudan and Uganda) took action through the United Nations to establish an intergovernmental body to collectively combat drought and desertification in the region. The Assembly of Heads of State and Government met in January 1986 to sign the agreement that officially launched IGADD with headquarters in Djibouti. The State of Eritrea became the seventh member after attaining independence in 1993 and South Sudan joined in 2011.
In April 1995 in Addis Ababa, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government made a declaration to revitalize IGADD and expand cooperation among Member States. On 21st March 1996 in Nairobi, the Assembly signed “Letter of Instrument to amend the IGADD Charter” establishing the revitalized regional organization with a new name, “Intergovernmental Authority on Development”. IGAD with expanded areas of regional cooperation and a new organizational structure was launched during the Summit of the Heads of State and Government on 25th November 1996 in Djibouti.
IGAD National Training Workshop to Support Sudan in Formulating Security & Justice Sector Reform (SSR)
Following the submission of a comprehensive proposal for DCAF’s collaboration with IGAD’s Peace and Security Division and a successful pilot phase in 2019, IGAD’s Security Sector Programme (ISSP) has currently requested ISSAT to reinforce the capacity of their team delivering a five-day Training Workshop to support Sudan authorities in formulating S&J reform. This activity is part of the implementation of IGAD’s ongoing regional Peace and Security Strategy.
This support contributes to a strengthened African Peace and Security Architecture on SSR, as well as to improving IGAD’s assistance to its MS. This assistance incrementally builds the DCAF-IGAD partnership, contributing internationally to SDGs 5, 16, 17.
SSR Training on Somalia
Following the submission of a comprehensive proposal for DCAF’s collaboration with IGAD’s Peace and Security Division, IGAD’s Security Sector Programme (ISSP) has requested ISSAT to reinforce the capacity of their team delivering a five-day Training Workshop on Formulating/Updating the SSR and DDR strategies for Somalia. This activity is part of the implementation of IGAD’s ongoing regional Peace and Security Strategy.
The aim of this mandate (in addition to incoming requests in 2019) is to pilot the envisaged collaboration with a view to better understand IGAD’s ISSP modus operandi, and to incrementally build the partnership contributing to deliver on SDG 16 and 17.
Training workshop on the African Union Operational Guidance Note on Gender and Security Sector Reform
The overall objective of the workshop is:
(i) to create a platform of discussion among participants on the status (gaps and challenges) on gender mainstreaming in Defence and Security institutions at national levels of AU Member States and in Peace Support Operations (PSO), and
(ii) to sensitize and train participants on the utilization of AU Gender OGN to address identified issues.
IGAD Capacity Building Training for Security Sector Development and Women Empowerment
Following the submission of a comprehensive proposal for DCAF’s collaboration with IGAD’s Peace and Security Division, IGAD’s Security Sector Programme (ISSP) has requested ISSAT to reinforce the capacity of their team delivering a three-day Training Workshop on Security Sector Development, Gender Equality and Women Empowerment. This activity contributes to the implementation of IGAD’s ongoing regional peace and security strategy.
The aim of this mandate (in addition to incoming requests in 2019) is to pilot the envisaged collaboration with a view to better understand IGAD’s ISSP modus operandi , and to incrementally build the partnership contributing to deliver on SDG 5, 16 and 17.
Training Workshop on Formulating/Updating the Security Sector Reform (SSR) and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Strategies for Sudan
The specific objectives of this national training workshop are:
- To train 38 officials from the relevant security and justice institutions on formulating and updating their comprehensive national SSR and DDR related Security strategies;
- To provide a platform for national and regional technical experts to jointly reflect on their SSR and DDR priority areas identified in their National Security Policies (NSP) and to further compare with AU and IGAD Peace and Security Policy Frameworks that have been formulated;
- To assess and review the existing related National Security Policies and Strategies; as well as respectively evaluate their implementation and key possible gaps;
- To explore ways for IGAD, AU and UN, on their complementary roles and responsibilities, to assist the State in updating and implementing its strategies and initiatives;
- To engage experts from national security institutions, AU and UN to jointly develop and update SSR & Reintegration strategies at the national level as they are interrelated, based on the identification of relevant local and national SSR & DDR stakeholders;
- To enhance the required skills of participants and provide inspiration on the best practices of formulating and updating SSR & Reintegration strategies by involving resource persons with great wealth of experience and knowledge
Formulating/Updating the Security Sector Reform (SSR) and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) strategies for South Sudan
Between the 9-13 Nov 2020 staff from ISSAT & SSAD supported a training workshop held in Juba, South Sudan hosted by IGAD Security Sector Program (IGAD SSP). The workshop titled ‘Formulating/Updating the Security Sector Reform (SSR) and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) strategies for South Sudan’ This national training workshop brought together 25 officials from the key security and justice institutions and ministries within South Sudan.
Presentations and discussions focused upon supporting the formulation and update of national SSR and DDR related Security strategies; by providing a platform for national and regional technical experts to jointly reflect on SSR and DDR priority areas identified in National Security Policies (NSP) and to further compare with AU and IGAD Peace and Security Policy Frameworks that have been formulated.