Horn of Africa countries form new parliamentary union

ADDIS ABABA, Feb 21, 2004 (dpa) — A new parliamentary union involving seven countries in the Horn of Africa is set to focus on peace building and conflict management in the region, news reports said Saturday.

The new union, formed under the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD), was launched Friday night in Addis Ababa following two days of talks, jointly organized by the Ethiopian parliament and the IGAD secretariat based in Djibouti.

The union will have 28 members, four parliamentarians from each of the seven IGAD member countries.

Dawit Yohannes, speaker of the lower house of the Ethiopian federal parliament spoke at the launch of the union.

“We’ve all resolved that the parliamentary union could facilitate learning from each other and sharing experiences among parliamentarians from IGAD member countries that would enhance sustainable development cooperation for regional integration as well as in peacekeeping and conflict prevention.”

A protocol on the establishment of the union, prepared by lawyers from member countries and the secretariat, was presented to representatives of six countries who attended the launch – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and the Sudan. Eritrea was not represented.