EU – UN – IGAD Cross Border Project to Accelerate 2019 Cooperation Between Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia Borders

The European Union and UNDP have organized a joint action working plan to boost the cooperation between Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia borders for 2019 period.

The 2 day workshop is organized by the Support for Effective Cooperation and Coordination of Cross-border Initiatives in Southwest Ethiopia-Northwest Kenya, Marsabit-Borana and Dawa, and Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia (SECCCI) EU co-funded Project.

The participants are drawn from Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) who are the implementing partners. As well as UNDP Country Offices from Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, the implementing agency UNDP Regional Service Center for Africa (RSCA) and the key donor Delegation of the European Union to Ethiopia.

The European Union Representative, Sabrina Bazzanella, Team Leader Migration, welcomed the participants by saying that the main objective of the two-days meeting was to come up with a concrete coordination and cooperation Action Plan to guide the implementing partners transboundary interventions and to enhance the commitment of all to make the project a success to the benefit of the final beneficiaries: people who leave in transboundary areas.

The workshop will accelerate through an agreed joint cross border action plan the cooperation of the national and local Governments of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia in order to address the drivers of conflict and instability, irregular migration and forced displacement in the cross-border areas of the Horn of Africa.

“UNDP and the UN system as a whole are enhancing their political engagement in recognition of the Horn of Africa’s Governments’ efforts towards prosperity, stability and peace. Under the Cross-Border initiative, we look forward to an enhanced stakeholders capacities developed in support of cross-border cooperation. Much can also be done by all of us to accompany an enhanced political engagement by a stronger programmatic approach across the development, humanitarian and peacebuilding nexus to also build the institutional capacity for closer cooperation.” mentioned Lamin Momodou Manneh, director of the UNDP RSCA.

Background:

The SECCCI Project is funded by the European Union, with co-financing contributions from UNDP and UNEP and has a budget of 10 million USD. The Project is implemented by the UNDP RSCA in partnership with UNEP and the IGAD. The implementation is closely coordinated with the national and local Governments of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.

The overall objective of the Project is to address the drivers of conflict and instability, irregular migration and displacement in the cross-border areas of the Horn of Africa through improved cross-border cooperation and coordination.

The specific objectives of the Project are:

·         To strengthen regional policy frameworks, structures and protocols for cross-border cooperation between national and local Governments, the private sector, civil society and international technical and financial partners in development;

·         To build capacities of communities, local Governments and civil society to fully engage in processes for development planning and results;

·         To ensure effective cooperation and coordination, monitoring and evaluation of cross-border initiatives including involvement of relevant national and regional actors in these processes.