Kenya’s Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo at the 34th Extraordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
IGAD member states have called for help from international and development partners to build financial, technical and logistical capacities IGAD states, and support ongoing efforts to fight the locust invasion.
This emerged during the 34th Extraordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the chairmanship of Sudan Prime Minister Dr Abdalla Hamdok.
The leaders also resolved to work together to handle the locusts menace.
The communiqué said the heads of state also endorsed council’s recommendations that member states act collectively through IGAD and join forces with neighbours and relevant agencies, including the Desert Locust Control Organization, towards the total eradication of the locusts.
Further, this cooperation should extend to address the broader aspects of climate change in the region;
They also resolved that member states through the IGAD Secretariat should to be proactive in sharing information and best practices to coordinate and build the necessary capacity in combating the locust menace to predict, monitor and control the spread of new swarms.
The meeting was attended by Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir, Somalia President Mohamed Farmaajo, Djibouti Foreign Affairs minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs CS Amb. Raychelle Omamo, her Ethiopian counterpart Hirut Zememe.
