August 30, 2008 – Engineer Mahboub Mohammed Maalin, the IGAD Executive Secretary, met with some 20 members of the IGAD Partners Forum (IPF) at the Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa to discuss current developments in IGAD. Among the issues discussed were included the recent visit of Eritrea by an IGAD delegation that included the Foreign Ministers of Kenya and Sudan as well as the IGAD Executive Secretary. The visit and its result was described as encouraging. An exchange of views was also carried out regarding the agreement signed by the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the Djibouti-based opposition, and also the understanding reached between member of the leadership of the TFG itself. The Executive Secretary also briefed IPF members on upcoming studies to be carried out to launch the process of revitalization of IGAD and the technical support that may be received from the Economic Commission for Africa among others. It was also disclosed that a meeting of the IGAD Council of Ministers is expected to take place in mid-September to examine developments since the last Summit held in Addis Ababa in June 2008. The Heads of ICPAT and CEWARN were present at the meeting. The IGAD Partners Forum (IPF) is a group of 26 countries and organizations interested in supporting the initiatives of IGAD. It is chaired by Italy.

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