Hiiraan Online
Thursday, July 12, 2012
by Dalmar Gure
Addis Ababa (HOL) - Eng Mahboub Maalim has been reappointed as the Executive Secretary of the regional organization. The council commended Maalim for his exemplary performance at the helm and awarded him by renewing his four year term for a second time. The decision was made at the 45th session of the IGAD council of Ministers in Addis Ababa on Wednesday.
The meeting chaired by H.E Hailemariam Desalegn, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia in conjunction with the current Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers discussed pressing political and social issues affecting the region. Namely the ongoing ground operations in Somalia by troop-contributing countries – Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia; and the peace process between Sudan and South Sudan.
In a communiqué released today, IGAD member states said that they were pleased by an announcement from the Republic of Djibouti on the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Union (AU) and on the deployment of its troops. Djibouti officials expect that the troops will be in post by July 20, 2012.