By; NECJOGHA Reporter
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) today convened the inaugural meeting of the IGAD Youth Forum for Peace 2025 Annual Meeting, a critical step in empowering the region’s young people to tackle the complex crises of climate, conflict, and displacement. The meeting brought together youth leaders from across the eight member states to review past achievements and set a strategic agenda for the future.
The forum’s discussions centered on an overview of the Peace & Security Division, a review of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the IGAD Youth Forum Council, and the key accomplishments of the First Cohort. Participants also worked to identify priority areas for the next two years, focusing on how to effectively mobilize youth to participate in peace and security initiatives within the region.
A significant outcome of the meeting was the appointment of a new Advisory Team to work directly with the IGAD Youth Envoy. This team will collaborate with forum members to strengthen youth-led peacebuilding efforts. The newly appointed members are:
Dr. Nejat Nuredin (Ethiopia) – Deputy Chair
Adv. Taban Philip (South Sudan) – Secretary General
Atukunda Siyemah (Uganda)
Brenda Tom (Kenya)
Chakira Abdirazak (Djibouti)
The convening of this forum comes at a pivotal moment for the IGAD region, a regional economic community comprised of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. The region faces a devastating convergence of climate, conflict, and humanitarian crises that continue to destabilize communities and undermine development.
Between 2021 and 2023, the Horn of Africa endured its worst drought in 40 years, resulting in the loss of over 4.2 million livestock and the displacement of more than 10.3 million people.
Among the displaced, 1.9 million were forced from their homes due to climate-related disasters such as droughts and floods. In 2024 alone, devastating floods killed at least 193 people across Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Uganda, displacing tens of thousands and exposing significant gaps in early warning and disaster preparedness.
Drought remains a chronic threat, while conflict compounds these vulnerabilities. According to IGAD’s 2023 conflict profiling, the region grapples with persistent governance deficits, ethnic tensions, and youth radicalization, with climate stressors intensifying competition over land and water. This has contributed to food insecurity affecting over 46 million people, driven by climate shocks, displacement, and fragile systems.
Despite regional frameworks like IGAD’s Climate Adaptation Strategy and CEWARN’s early warning mechanisms, underinvestment and fragmented implementation continue to hinder resilience.
Establishing the Youth Forum for Peace, IGAD is reinforcing its commitment to a more inclusive and integrated approach to these challenges. The newly appointed advisory team will play a crucial role in ensuring that the energy, innovation, and perspectives of young people are at the forefront of the coordinated action needed to build a more resilient and peaceful future for the Horn of Africa.
