The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has officially launched the Parliamentary Caucus Network.

 The primary objective of the network which was launched during a three-day High-Level Regional Legislators Meeting is to promote peace, development, and regional integration in the IGAD member countries.

The meeting brought together lawmakers from Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

The meeting organized by IGAD Centre of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) with the support of Sweden government aimed at advancing conversation on how to successfully achieve gender sensitive legislations and to officially launch the IGAD Legislators Network.

IGAD Centre of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (ICEPCVE), Simon Nyambura emphasized the significance of the network in contributing to the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

“This network will not only just help IGAD in terms of fighting terrorism and violent extremism, but in search for peace and stability within the region. We think that the members of parliament have a role to ensure that this region is peaceful and secure,” he stated.

Nyambura stressed the need for legislators towards ensuring that the region is safe and secure.

“Therefore, we are encouraging them to continue oversight in the agencies that fight terrorism and violent extremism, because we cannot win this war unless we fight this war within the rule of Law, respect for human rights.”

Jochim Beijmo, Head of Regional Development Cooperation in Africa at the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa, highlighted the global threat of violent extremism and reaffirmed Sweden’s support for IGAD.

Beijimo  emphasized the importance of integrating gender equality into the process, recognizing the special needs of women and their vulnerability to extremism movements.

"Beijimo argued Integrating gender equality into that process is very important, because we know that women have special needs and they are also sometimes victims of these extremism movements,”