IGAD countries agree to ehance regional cooperation

November 30, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – IGAD foreign ministers welcomed Sudan’s proposals to strengthen regional integration, and reform the bloc’s institutions.

Sudan, the current chair of the East African bloc, proposed a number of reforms to the 48th meeting of the Council of Ministers held in Khartoum on 30th November 2022.

The meeting “welcomed the 2023 Chairmanship Roadmap of the Republic of Sudan, which seeks to strengthen solidarity (among) Member States and promote regional economic integration as a strategy to promote security and stability as the necessary conditions for advancing the role of youth and women to contribute to regional prosperity, and called upon Member States to provide the required support for its implementation.”

The Foreign Ministers welcomed “Sudan’s initiative to establish a harmonized engagement platform” for Ambassadors of IGAD countries abroad. The meeting tasked the Secretariat to elaborate a roadmap to enforce it.

The meeting reiterated its adherence to the principles of equity and fairness and directed the Secretariat to ensure the equitable distribution of projects and programs among Member States.

In the same vein, the IGAD council of ministers instructed to introduce a quota system for staffing across the board.

Sudan South Sudan have been practically excluded from the organization’s staff members.

The ministerial meeting also responded positively to Sudan’s request to introduce Arabic as an official language and called upon IGAD Heads of State and Government to officially adopt it.

(ST)