The 36th Extraordinary Assembly of IGAD Heads of State and
Government was held on 14th July 2020 via videoconference, chaired
by H.E. Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of the
Sudan. The Assembly was attended by H.E. Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Ismail Omar
Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti; H.E. Salva Kiir
Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan; H.E. Mohamed
Abdullahi Mohamed, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia;
H.E. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya,
and H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia.

Also, in attendance were: representatives of the IGAD Council of
Ministers and Committee of Ambassadors, H.E. Dr. Workneh
Gebeyehu Negewo, Executive Secretary of IGAD; H.E. Amb.
Ismail Wais, IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan; H.E. Amb.
Mohamed Ali Guyo, IGAD Special Envoy for the Red Sea, Gulf of
Aden and Somalia; H.E. Dr. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, Kenya
Special Envoy to South Sudan and H.E. Amb. Lt. Gen. Augostino
Njoroge, Outgoing Interim Chair of RJMEC.

Representatives of IGAD Partners present during the Assembly’s
proceedings included; H.E. Smaїl Chergui, African Union
Commission Commissioner for Peace and Security; H.E. Parfait
Onanga-Anyanga, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for
the Horn of Africa; H.E Alexander Rondos, EU Special
Representative for the Horn of Africa;

H.E. Arturo Luzzi, Ambassador of Italy to the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia and Djibouti and Co-Chair of the IGAD partners
Forum (IPF) and H.E. Robert Fairweather, United Kingdom Special
Envoy to Sudan, South Sudan and Representative of the Troika.
Arising from deliberations that followed statements by H.E. Dr.
Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan and
Chairperson of the Assembly; Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia,
South Sudan, Uganda, and reports tabled by the IGAD
Secretariat; and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and
Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC);

On Somalia,
Commended the ongoing dialogue between the Federal Government
of Somalia and Somaliland under the patronage President Ismail Omar
Guelleh and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and look forward to progress
reports of the technical committees that have been established to
steer the parties towards an amicable solution;

Took Note of the forthcoming Federal Elections and called upon all
stakeholders in Somalia to prioritize the interests of the Somali people by
reaching an amicable consensus on the conduct of the upcoming
elections;
Encouraged by the progress the Somali Federal Government has made
towards achieving universal suffrage (one-person-one-vote) and
encouraged all parties to participate in this historical process for Somalia;

Welcomed the efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia to hold
inclusive dialogue with its Federal Member States towards finding
common ground, the attainment of a comprehensive peace and national
unity;

Appreciated AMISOM, troop-contributing countries and the Somali
National Army; for the risks they take and the sacrifices they continue
to make to prevail over terrorist organisations and organized criminal
groups in the strategic areas of operations, noting that the Somali
National Army is taking over security responsibilities and taking a
leading role in keeping the citizens and residents of Somalia safe;
Thanked the International Partners for their support to the
peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction process in Somalia.

Read more: COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 36TH EXTRAORDINARY ASSEMBLY OF IGAD HEADS OF STATE