Addis Ababa, The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said it is working on a new regional refugee protection policy and management to ensure safety and dignity of the displaced populations in the region.
A three-day workshop was held in Addis Ababa to enable technical experts of member States to review the updated draft, discuss its provisions, and validate the Policy framework and the report on the Status of Refugee Management in the IGAD region.
In a speech read on behalf of Workeneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, Fathia Alwan said that IGAD continuously takes note of the increased responsibility on IGAD member states as a result of significant levels of displacement within the region.
The Executive Secretary also stressed the need to sustainably respond to the situation and at the same time ensure safety and dignity of the displaced populations and their host communities.
The IGAD region is home to millions of forcibly displaced individuals due to complex interlinked factors, compelling people to move, it was indicated.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, the region hosted over 5 million registered refugees and asylum seekers as of August 2023, and over 13.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region as of July 2023.
In this cause, Workneh explained that the magnitude of the refugees has been recently becoming a pressing issue in the IGAD member states especially in Sudan.
“As we convene today, IGAD would like to note the situation in our member state, the Republic of Sudan and the dire humanitarian situation and the pressing need to find sustainable solutions,” he indicated.
He also underscored that IGAD member states have made concerted efforts despite challenges since 2017 to seek sustainable solutions for displaced populations and their host communities through the Nairobi Declaration.
Moreover, IGAD seeks to build on the gains of the Nairobi processes and support its member states in harmonization of refugee protection and management policies, legislation and practices in the region for fair, predictable and gender-responsive asylum procedures through this policy framework, he revealed.
Therefore, the three-day validation workshop on Regional Refugee Protection Policy follows rounds of successful national consultations and negotiations with member states on its provisions, Workeneh noted.
“I am happy to note that it (Regional Refugee Protection Policy) takes into account the context and interests of all the IGAD Member States, which is critical in galvanizing political will for successful implementation,” he said
As IGAD’s commitment to member states goes beyond the policy development, the executive secretary pledged to mobilize technical and financial support through the IGAD Support Platform towards a regional approach to the implementation of this policy
The validated Policy Framework will be presented to the Ministers in charge of refugee affairs and Heads of State at the 2023 Annual Stocktake for endorsement, it was indicated.
On his part, Bruhtesfa Mulugeta, Deputy Director General, Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) of Ethiopia said that IGAD’s Policy Framework on Refugee Protection will bring a concrete solution for refugee related challenges in east African region.
“Ethiopia believes that IGAD’s Policy Framework on Refugee Protection seeks to address multiple and interlinked concerns, manage the rising numbers sustainably and find durable solutions within,” he noted.
He also reaffirmed the commitment of Ethiopia to implement the policy framework and its support to IGAD’s endeavors in this regard.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency