The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has validated the Regional Plan of Action and Common Position that will provide a roadmap towards unlocking the full potential and addressing a myriad of challenges facing the region.
The regional body has identified four key thematic areas of interest that the five-year plan seeks to address including regional cohesion and cooperation, socio-economic development, maritime and terrestrial matters, research, technology, and innovation as well as capacity building.
IGAD termed the implementation of the Regional Plan of Action (RPA) as key to the achievement of IGAD peace and security objectives as well as safeguarding the interests of member states and strengthening their cooperation on safety issues in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden area.
According to Ambassador Moi Lemoshira, the Director General at the Kenya State Department of Foreign Affairs, there is a need for a common action that safeguards the political, economic, and security interests and stability of the region’s population.
Lemoshira said the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden region had been faced with growing challenges including the threat of climate change and insecurity including terrorism and extremism, perpetual political transitions as well as political instability that slows down the region’s economic development.
The ambassador decried the rising costs of conflicts in the region that has seen a diversion of developmental resources towards addressing conflicts and insecurity noting that the common plan seeks to harness a collaborative approach with member states to address these concerns.
Speaking to ambassadors from IGAD member states, Lemoshira affirmed Kenya’s commitment towards enhancing trade, shipping, and navigation operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and Somalia (RESGAS) to unlock the full potential of the maritime resources.
‘IGAD member states continue to struggle to sustain regional peace and security as well as to protect their interests in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and have seen an increase in illegal trade routes used for trafficking drugs, weapons, persons and contrabands,’ IGAD report noted.
Ambassador Moi Lemoshira, the Director General at the Kenya State Department of Foreign Affairs (right) chats with Mohamed Ali, the IGAD Special Envoy in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden region during a validation exercise of action plans to address challenges facing the region.
Lemoshira said the region maritime is key towards the development of the resources but has been plagued by increased illegal fishing, piracy and armed robberies, terrorism at sea, and kidnappings for ransoms which the common action plan seeks to reverse through security cooperation and engagements among member states.
On his part, Mohamed Ali, the IGAD Special Envoy in the RESGAS region termed the region as fragile due to growing insecurity which has led to loss of lives, economic disruptions, and the rise of extremist groups and criminals.
Ali said the threats of climatic change in the region have disrupted communities, local economies, and security with the region having experienced its worst drought in decades where millions of people were affected and thousands of livestock lost.
Ali hailed the leaders for committing their resources towards addressing climate change concerns during the just concluded Africa Climate Summit which was held in Nairobi noting that the region seeks to unlock new opportunities on the political, economic, and security fronts.
The envoy added that the action plan has also developed a framework of cooperation to ensure freedom of navigation and trade in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden which continue to attract external interests and competition from international players.
This comes after the region experienced increased political instability and security concerns in countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
Ali said the validated Regional Plan of Action and Common Position which has been on course for the past four years will be presented for adoption by the IGAD Council of Ministers in the coming months.
Source: Kenya News Agency