Bahir Dar, Ethiopia – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) announced the official launch of its Parliamentary Caucus Network at a High Level Regional Legislators Meeting in Addis Ababa.
The network, comprised of legislators from Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda, aims to promote peace, development, and regional integration within the IGAD regions.
Organized by the IGAD Centre of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) with support from the Swedish government, the network was launched during a three-day meeting focused on advancing gender-sensitive legislation and countering violent extremism (CVE).
The network is expected to champion peace, security, development, and integration in the region.
IGAD officials emphasized the critical role of parliamentarians in allocating resources for CVE efforts and ensuring respect for human rights in the fight against violent extremism.
Deputy Speaker of the Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives, Lomi Bedo, stressed the importance of integrating gender perspectives into security-related legislation.
Sweden reaffirmed its commitment to supporting IGAD’s efforts towards peace and security in the region.
