Press Release on Federalism on Somalia

1. IGAD Secretariat – Avenue Georges Clemenceau – P.O. Box 2653 Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti – Tel.: +253-21354050
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PRESS RELEASE ________________________________ Today, 23rd October in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia a conference on Federalism in Somalia kicked off at the UNECA conference center. H.E Dr. Tewdros Adhanom Gebreyesus, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the current chair of the IGAD council of ministers officially opened the conference. The there days conference co-organized by IGAD and the Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI) is bringing together representatives from the Federal Republic of Somalia, representatives of other interim administrations in Somalia, Diaspora, researchers and academicians, key stakeholders as well as representatives from other IGAD member states to an open dialogue on different aspects of federalism. Amb. Mohamed Affey, the IGAD special envoy to Somalia speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary reiterated IGAD’s commitment to supporting discussions on federalism as a political governance system in Somalia as provided for in the draft constitution and adopted 10 years ago at the end of the IGAD led peace talks in Nairobi. He called upon the stakeholders to have a dialogue that explores the different models of federalism with a view of getting to one that would best work for Somalia given its unique history, culture and realities.
This conference comes as part of the activities on federalism funded by the Swiss confederation support to IGAD through the Institutional-strengthening Fund. ENDS Note to Editors:
For information on the partnership or the conference, please contact the Regional Migration & Swiss Partnership Coordinator at Caroline.njuki@igad.int
For information on IGAD’s federalism program, please contact the Program Manager Political affairs at Messeret.tilaye@igad.int The Intergovernmental Authority on Development is an eight country security and development bloc in Eastern Africa comprising of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea and was established as it exists today in 1996.
IGAD aims to assist and complement the efforts of the Member States to: promote and maintain peace and security in the region; achieve food security and environmental
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY ON DEVELOPMENT
AUTORITÉ INTERGOUVERNEMENTALE POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT

2. IGAD Secretariat – Avenue Georges Clemenceau – P.O. Box 2653 Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti – Tel.: +253-21354050
info@igad.int – www.igad.int follow us on twitter @igadsecretariat like us on facebook.com/igadsecretariat
protection; and achieve greater economic integration and cooperation. IGAD is the principal supporter of the Federal Government of Somalia through the AMISOM peace and security initiative, and expanded its activities in 2008 with initiatives to improve the investment, trade and banking environments of member states. IGAD succeeded the earlier Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), founded in 1986 by Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, following recurring and severe droughts and disasters between 1974 and 1984 that caused widespread famine, ecological degradation and economic hardship in the East Africa region.