Addis Ababa, October 30, 2023 (FBC) – The IGAD’s Regional Conference on the Kampala Declaration on jobs, livelihoods and self-reliance for refugees, returnees and host communities, has kicked off this morning in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
It is noted that the regional conference brought together high-level policy makers from IGAD Member States, the private sector, refugee groups, development partners, NGOs and donors working on the self-reliance agenda for Refugees in the region.
Nigusu Tilahun, Minister of State for Employment, Jobs, and Markets at the Ministry of Labor and Skills of Ethiopia opened the conference with a keynote speech.
“We are deeply honored to host the Regional Review Meeting of the IGAD Kampala Declaration on Jobs, Livelihoods, and Self-Reliance for Refugees, Returnees, and Host Communities,” Mr. Nigusu said.
For her part, Ms. Fathia Alwan, Director of Health & Social Development Division at IGAD, said that the Declaration marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to improve the lives of refugees and underscores our commitment to promoting sustainable livelihoods.
“We aim to establish robust mechanisms for monitoring & evaluating the implementation of this declaration to ensure that it leads to tangible improvements in the lives of our people,” she noted. “The Kampala Declaration marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to improve the lives of refugees & host communities. It underscores our commitment to promoting sustainable livelihoods that enhance the well-being of our citizens.”
According to her, the Declaration further places a strong emphasis on building self-reliance through collaborative approach of governments, refugees and development partners for the betterment of displaced affected communities.
“As part of natural resources management, 1,012,857 tree seedlings were raised and planted across refugee camps and the adjacent host communities in Ethiopia,” said Anteneh Mekesha, Team Leader, Jobs and Livelihoods at Returnees and Refugees Service of Ethiopia (RRS).
Other notable speakers include Ms. Teyiba Hasen, Director-General of Refugees and Returnees Service of Ethiopia (RRS), representatives of German Embassy Addis Ababa, UNHCR Ethiopia, as well as other government officials from Ethiopia and Djibouti.
The two-day conference is expected to review Member States’ progress in the implementation of plans of action as well as endorse the IGAD 2023 Global Refugee Forum regional pledges on economic inclusion and social protection, an official press release from the Health & Social Development Division of IGAD confirmed.
It is learned that IGAD Members States signed the Kampala Declaration on Jobs, Livelihoods, and Self-Reliance committing themselves to advance livelihood opportunities and economic inclusion of refugees, returnees and host communities on 28th March 2019. This has subsequently expanded economic and work opportunities for refugees and their host communities in the region.