Kebede Kassa Tsegaye, Senior Program Coordinator, IGAD Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), Ms. Sagal Abdule, Officer in Charge of IGAD Regional Qualifications Framework and Dr. Fatuma Adan, Head of Mission, IGAD in Kenya introduced IGAD and showed interest in the work and programmes of DAAD in the region.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa was created in 1996 to supersede the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) which was founded in 1986 to mitigate the effects of the recurring severe droughts and other natural disasters that resulted in widespread famine, ecological degradation and economic hardship in the region. Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda – took action through the United Nations to establish the intergovernmental body for development and drought control in their region. Eritrea became the seventh member after attaining independence in 1993 and in 2011 South Sudan joined IGAD as the eighth member state.

In particular, the promotion of refugees and access to education for refugees is of common interest. At the 3rd Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Conference in March 2022, Ministers responsible for education endorsed the communiqué of the Djibouti Declaration on Education for Refugees, Returnees and Host Communities. IGAD was informed of the current call for applications for the Leadership for Africa program and pledged its support.