IGAD to set up parliamentary union

The regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) agreed on Tuesday to set up a parliamentary union to help tackle crises in the region. Executive Secretary Dr Attalla Bashir said that a joint inter-parliamentary union could play a vital role in ensuring stability in the war-ravaged region. “The problems of our sub-region are enormous,” he told 40 MPs and speakers of parliaments from the seven IGAD member countries, meeting in Addis Ababa. “They are in most cases similar to the rest of the countries in the African continent,” he added. “But, there are also peculiarities that have to be addressed and resolved within our own sub-regional forum. In this regard, the establishment of the IGAD Inter-Parliamentary Union is very essential and timely. “It will not only enhance the integration process within our sub-region but will also create a mechanism for political dialogue and sharing of experiences,” he said. Dawit Yohannes, speaker of the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives, said the parliament would promote greater understanding within the region. He also said that Ethiopia could provide a “temporary home” until funding was secured to properly launch the new association. IGAD, which focuses on food security, economic cooperation and conflict resolution, is made up of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. The organisation is currently looking at an inter-parliamentary union on a rotating basis and the parliament is expected to be held once or twice a year.