The Ethiopia-Kenya high-level cross-border peace dialogue organized by IGAD’s Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN) on 14 December 2018 in Hawassa Town, Ethiopia.
It is concluded with a joint action plan to address ongoing inter-communal violent conflict along the common border.
The dialogue focused on emerging peace, security and development concerns in the Moyale/Moyale and South Omo/Turkana corridors that cover adjoining areas of Oromia and Somali regional states of Ethiopia and Marsabit County of Kenya as well as the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State (SNNPRS) of Ethiopia and Turkana County of Kenya respectively.
The high-level dialogue was presided over by H.E Zeinu Jamal Ethiopian State Minister of Peace and Mr. Peter K. Thuku (EBS), Head of National CEWERU of Kenya representing Minister of interior and coordination of national government of Kenya as well as Director of CEWARN, Mr. Camlus Omogo. High-level officials from concerned regions/counties and representatives of partner organizations were also present.
After considering recommendations from community-level dialogues for the two Moyale towns and South Omo /Turkana corridors, that were held in Moyale Town, Ethiopia on 2-4 December 2018 and in Jinka Town, Ethiopia on 9-11 December 2018 respectively, the high-level dialogue developed a response plan to address inter-communal violent conflicts in the two corridors.
The response plan covers measures to: address ongoing violent conflict; facilitate relief support to displaced populations and host communities; strengthen existing conflict prevention, management and resolution structures at local, provincial and national levels.
It also include support to customary conflict resolution structures to ensure they remain effective; provide livelihood support to borderland communities as well as facilitate regular cross-border engagement and information sharing.
The high-level dialogue and preceding communal-level peace dialogues for Moyale/Moyale and South Omo/Turkana Corridors were conducted with the support from USAID.