PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
28 November 2017, Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire:
The Chairperson, IGAD Council of Ministers H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia today 28 November 2017, held a consultation meeting of IGAD Council of Ministers in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on progress towards the convening of the High-Level Revitalization Forum. In attendance were representatives of Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.
The meeting, held on the sideline of the AU-EU Partnership Summit, was convened to brief Council Members on recent progress pursuant to the revitalization process, consider report of the pre-forum consultations, and discuss the way forward.
Following a detailed briefing by H.E Ambassador Dr. Ismail Wais, the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan on key findings of the pre-forum consultations conducted with the Parties to the Agreement, estranged groups and other stakeholders in the South Sudan’s peace process, Council Members endorsed the Pre-Forum Consultations Report as submitted by the Special Envoy and instructed him to proceed with preparations pursuant to the convening of the Forum.
The Council further observed that the initial proposed date of 11-12 December 2017 for the Council and Summit overlaps with an International Climate Change Conference scheduled to take place in Paris, France, and accordingly proposed that it should be rescheduled to 15-16 December 2017, in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, to be followed immediately with the launch of the High-Level Forum at the same venue. Council also proposed to the IGAD Heads of State and Government that an Extraordinary Summit be convened following the Council meeting. The IGAD Summit meeting will take place upon approval by the Heads of State and Government.
In his remarks, the Council Chairperson, commended the Special Envoy for the progress made so far. He welcomed the endorsement of the report as a milestone in the revitalization process and thanked all his colleagues for supporting the collective undertakings in this regard.
He noted that the Council continues to speak with one voice and are united to make the revitalization process succeeds.