Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Eastern Africa Maalim to visit Finland

Press release 151/2009
29 May, 2009

Mr. Mahboub Maalim, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa will visit Finland on 1-2 June as part of a tour of the Nordic Countries. During his visit, Executive Secretary Maalim will meet Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and Member of Parliament Pekka Haavisto, who also acts as Foreign Minister’s Special Representative to African crisis areas. In addition, Executive Secretary Maalim will visit the Finnish Parliament and the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

During the visit, the topics of discussion will include IGAD’s operations, topical issues of the Horn of Africa – Sudan and Somalia in particular –, IGAD’s vision and future challenges and its partnership with international organisations and key donors. One topic of current interest is also the co-operation between the EU and IGAD, specifically from the African point of view.

The conflicts of the Horn of Africa pose enormous challenges for regional integration. The challenges IGAD is forced to face in its area of operation include refugees, climate change, terrorism, the problems faced by fragile states, and war crimes. IGAD has strived to be an active participant in the settlement of conflicts in its member states. Finland and the EU are involved in the IGAD Partners Forum, currently chaired by Italy. The third ministerial Troika meeting between the EU and IGAD was held in March.

Additional information: Counsellor Kimmo Laukkanen, Unit for East and West Africa, tel. +358 40 481 9822