IGAD Health & Social Development Division

The Director Health and Social Development, Amb. Moussa @Meigague will be representing the Executive Secretary, @DrWorkneh, at the 7th Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) on Harmonizing Labour Migration Policies in East and Horn of Africa. The 7th high-level Forum, along with its 5 Technical Working Groups (TWGs), convenes Ministers and technical experts from the countries responsible for ensuring gender-sensitive labour migration governance in the East and Horn of Africa region. The RMFM is chaired by @GovUganda and the @IGADsecretariat, @jumuiya and @IOM_EHSA are the Secretariat.

🌙✨ Eid Mubarak from IGAD Wishing you peace, joy, and unity this Eid. #RisingWithIGAD #OneRegionOneFuture

The Week at #IGAD:  March 8 - March 14, 2026 Top stories: · IGAD and Riara University students led a community environmental clean-up at Karen C Primary and Secondary Schools under the “IGAD to the People” initiative. · IGAD launched high-level policy meetings on the ratification and domestication of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons.

#IGADRefugees | Entebbe, Uganda 🇺🇬 🗓️16-19 March 2026 The @IGADsecretariat is supporting the Capacity Building workshop of technical experts from @OPMUganda's Department of Refugees in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for the Uganda Refugee Response. The training organised under the Protection and Solutions for Displaced Persons (PSDP) project, brings together staff from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved in the refugee response to strengthen M&E capacity within OPM and improve coordination across Uganda’s refugee response. The ongoing training is focusing on harmonising planning and reporting frameworks, coordination mechanisms, alignment with national systems, and strengthening inter-ministerial collaboration for refugee programming. #IGADSupportPlatform #IGADAt40

Dr. @FatumaIAdan continues to lead by example, bringing #IGAD closer to communities and inspiring young people through action. Her commitment to service, partnership, and youth engagement is shaping the responsible leaders of tomorrow.

🚑 Pandemic Preparedness and Response in South Sudan | #IGADHealth 🗓️13 March 2026 | Juba, South Sudan 🇸🇸 The @IGADsecretariat under the Pandemic Preparedness and Response #PREPARE Initiative convened a National Consultation Meeting with the @SouthSudanGov to discuss country’s pandemic preparedness priorities. 📝Discussions reviewed #PREPARE project progress and highlighted South Sudan’s public health challenges, including ongoing outbreaks and gaps in surveillance, laboratory capacity, and workforce. 📣Participants from Ministries of Health, Livestock, Environment, Wildlife, and partner institutions identified some key priorities for #PREPARE Phase II. ✍️Agreed priorities will be refined nationally and submitted to guide PREPARE Phase II and strengthen South Sudan’s public health preparedness. 🔬The #PREPARE team visited South Sudan’s National Public Health Laboratory in Juba to review activities and discuss priority areas for laboratory strengthening.

🌍Advancing the Free Movement of Persons Regime in the IGAD Region 🔄| #IGADMigration The @IGADSecretariat under the #IGAD- @AddisIlo- @UEaDjibouti #NDICI Action to Support Free Movement of persons in the IGAD Region, commenced High-Level Policy Meetings on the Ratification and Domestication of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in IGAD Region. Today, the Coordinator of the Action on the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in IGAD Region, @LucyDaxbacher led the IGAD team to a @GoVUganda stakeholders' de-brief at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kampala. This follows weeklong engagements with senior officials from @UgandaMOFA, Office of the #AttorneyGeneral, @MoJCAUG @mia_uga @Moglsd_UG @MoES_UG @Educ_SportsUg @NotuUganda , as stakeholders on the realisation of the Free Movement of Persons Regime. The Meeting of Experts of Government of Uganda and Social Partners have today agreed on; ↗️Roadmap towards the ratification of the Protocol. ↗️The signing and ratification of the two related IGAD Conventions by Government of Uganda, the IGAD Convention on Extradition (2012) and IGAD Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance (2012).

1/3 Under the leadership of IGAD Head of Mission to Kenya Dr. Fatuma Adan (@FatumaAdan), @IGADHealthS in collaboration with @RiaraUniversity organized a community service initiative at Karen C Primary and Secondary School.

#HEPRRPUpdates 🔔Its a Wrap! The Gender and Equity Integration in Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (GENPAR) Training, has closed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The training organised under the the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Programme (#HEPRRP) for East and Southern Africa, was aimed at mainstreaming gender and equity in epidemic preparedness and response plans, using the @WorldBankGroup's #GENPAR Tool. Participants explored a range of themes including gender and equity in areas of surveillance, laboratory functioning and quality, risk communications and community engagement, human resources, among others. #Today, Participants had a study tour to the @EPHIEthiopia assessing the progress the Institution has made in mainstreaming gender and equity inclusion in operational procedures. The @IGADsecretariat and @ECSA_HC are the regional coordinating institutions supporting the implementation of the Programme. #IGADHealth #IGADAt40

♻️IGAD Community Initiatives 🌲🌳🌿 Earlier today, as part of taking #IGAD to the People, The IGAD Head of Mission to the Republic of Kenya Dr. @FatumaIAdan led students & lecturers from #Riara University School of Business (@RiaraUniversity), @IGADsecretariat staff, Government representatives and community members for an environmental cleaning exercise at #Karen C Primary & Secondary Schools, Nairobi, Kenya. The initiative is part of the partnership, service, and youth engagement aimed at inspiring the next generation of responsible leaders. #RisingWithIGAD #IGADAt40

#IGADRefugees 📌The Training for Refugee and Host Community Leaders from Adjumani District Integrated Refugee settlements and host communities🇺🇬, wrapped up yesterday. The training strengthened the capacities of leaders in the areas of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, child protection, and community-based protection. The Commissioner for Refugees at @OPMUganda, Mr. Okello Patrick, expressed his sincere appreciation to the organizing team, particularly the IGAD facilitators, for delivering a high-quality programme. The ceremony was attended by representatives of Adjumani District Local Government, IGAD Secretariat and @UNHCRuganda

#IGADMigration | 11 March 2026 | Arta, Djibouti🇩🇯 On #Day3 of the regional meeting on the Harmonization of Migration and Displacement Data in the IGAD Region, participants visited the Arta Peace Memorial - a symbol of fraternity and successful conflict resolution in the region. This follows the Inaugration in October 2025 which was attended by the IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, honoring the 25th anniversary of the 2000 Arta Peace Conference, which established Somalia's Transitional National Government. The visit provided a shared moment of reflection and recognition, emphasizing the importance of preserving the history of regional reconciliation. 🇩🇯🇪🇹🇸🇴🇸🇩🇸🇸🇰🇪🇺🇬

#IGADHealth 📍Its a wrap of #Day3 of the Gender and Equity Integration in Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (GENPAR) Training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 Key areas of focus: ♂️Gender in laboratory functioning and quality exploring disaggregation of lab data, ensuring gender equitable access to laboratories & equity in technical personnel. ♀️ Developing gender-responsive risk communication and community engagement plans. #HEPRRPUpdates

#IGADRefugees Highlights of #Day3 of the ToT on the Refugee and Asylum‑Seekers Act in Mogadishu, Somalia 🌟From #Day2 recap, to presentations of case studies and real‑life scenarios on the role of community leaders in advocacy. 🌟Panel discussion by community representatives examined barriers to refugees’ integration into host communities. 🌟Training #concluded and participants awarded Certificates from Commissioner @NCRIsom and IGAD Head of Mission to Somalia, @MohamoudKaarshe #IGADSupportPlatform #IGADAt40

#Day2 Recap | Empowering Refugee Leaders in Peacebuilding, GBV Prevention & Community Protection | Adjumani District, 🇺🇬 🌟Refugee and host community leaders from the Adjumani Integrated Refugee Settlements participated in sessions on: 🔹 Understanding GBV concepts, causes, and impacts, and strengthening prevention, response, and referral pathways 🔹 Exploring child protection principles and safeguarding, including preventing child abuse and exploitation 🔹 Developing community action plans on GBV and child protection The training highlights Uganda’s self-reliance settlement model, where shared land use, access to local services, and refugee–host community integration make the role of community leaders critical in promoting protection and social cohesion. #IGADRefugees #IGADSupportPlatform

#IGADRefugees 📣 #Day2 of the Trainer of Trainees (ToT) on the Refugee & Asylum Seekers Act in Mogadishu, Somalia 🇸🇴, focused on strengthening participants’ understanding of asylum procedures, refugee rights, and community-based protection mechanisms in Somalia. Participants were taken through; ✅Asylum Procedures in Somalia ~ @NCRIsom ✅Rights and Obligations of Refugees ~ @UNHCRSOm ✅Role of community leaders in strengthening support systems for refugees and asylum seekers. ✅strengthening social cohesion between refugees and host communities through dialogue and community leadership. The training aims to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to support effective refugee protection and community engagement. #IGADSupportPlatform

⚧️ GENPAR Training Day 2: Applying Gender and Equity in Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Today's sessions explored; 🔹 Integrating gender and equity in Human Resources for Health (HRH) 🔹 Strengthening gender-responsive Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs (FELTPs) 🔹 Identifying gender and equity gaps in disease surveillance systems The @WorldBankGroup funded Health Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response Programme (HEPRRP) for East and Southern Africa aims to strengthen the preparedness and resilience of national and regional health systems to detect early and manage health emergencies. #HEPRRPUpdates

#IGADMigration 📑#Day2 of the Workshop on Harmonization of Migration and Displacement Data in the IGAD Region is underway in Arta, Djibouti 🇩🇯. ↗️Participants are reviewing and integrating feedback into the draft IGAD Regional Guidelines to strengthen regional data harmonization and cooperation. ↗️These technical discussions aim to strengthen the consistency, quality, and harmonization of migration data across IGAD Member States. #IGADRefugees @NBS_Statistics @giz_gmbh