IGAD to unveil regional counter-terrorism centre
By Fauxile Kibet
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will today unveil a unified strategy to counter and prevent violent extremism in the region in response to an upsurge in terror threats among member states.
The launch of the strategy which also coincides with the inauguration of ceremony of the bloc’s Center of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (ICEPCVE) will happen in the IGAD headquarters in Djibouti.
In a statement Tuesday, the eight member trade bloc said the ICEPCVE will be instrumental in institutionalizing the prevention and countering of violent extremism in the Horn and Eastern Africa Region.
The launch of the strategy and the centre follows the inauguration of national PCVE initiatives in member countries in response to the UN’s call for member countries to develop a coordinated strategy to fighting terrorism.
The organization adds that the IGAD P/CVE Center of Excellence is a premier institution that will offer a dedicated platform to institutionalize the prevention and countering of violent extremism in the Horn and Eastern Africa Region.
“This Center of Excellence is intended to serve as a resource for governments, civil societies, youth, religious leaders, experts, practitioners, business people, and others interested in addressing violent extremism,” the statement reads.
Also, the Center seeks to empower youth, women, religious leaders and civil society by enhancing their capacity in countering violent extremist ideology by helping generate positive alternatives for young people vulnerable to violent extremist recruitment.
It also seeks to improve law enforcement and security-force engagement with local communities and to prevent radicalization to violence in prisons while at the same time rehabilitating disengaged fighters, including foreign terrorist fighters.
According to the statement, the Center’s focus areas include; providing training to enhance the capacities of government to counter violent extremism, provide a platform to facilitate discussion among national and local actors, civil society, researchers and community leaders involved in CVE and catalyzing more research understand localized drivers of violent extremism, and developing new ways to effectively counter it.
MOVEMENT OF PERSONS
The statement comes in the backdrop of another IGAD meeting held Tuesday in Kampala Uganda where the South Sudan government pushed for the regularization of informal movement of people within the region.
The four-day meeting, which kicked off Tuesday brought together experts from member states which include Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The delegate will discuss the proposed protocol on free movement of persons across within member states’ territories.
“The aim of this high-level experts meeting is for experts to deliberate on the provisions of the proposed IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons,” said a statement issued by IGAD.
The political endorsement to fast track the free movement of people protocol will also take center stage. With on-going conflicts in some member countries such as South Sudan and Somalia, an increasing number of people from countries facing conflict are relocating to neighboring countries.
“With a never-ending conflict in South Sudan, it is estimated that majority of South Sudanese are living outside their country as refugees.”
South Sudanese delegates who spoke during the forum indicated that among other things, the seek the implementation of; right of residence in any IGAD member state, free movement of vehicles, transportation of goods and people, harmonisation of labour laws, policies and the provision of a safe environment for refugees, asylum seekers and pastoralists.