UN official assesses Kenya, Ethiopia cross-border program

During this trip, she was accompanied by the UN Resident Coordinator, Siddharth Chatterjee – Head of UN Agencies, representatives of the government, development partners and philanthropy groups/COURTESY

y CORRESPONDENT, NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 26 – The UN Under Secretary General and the UNDP Administrator Hellen Clark, visited Moyale town to get first-hand information about the Kenya-Ethiopia cross border programme.

Speaking during a town hall meeting in the region, Clark noted that the main objective of this cross-border and area-based programme is to reduce vulnerability and increase the resilience of communities affected by conflict and climate-induced migration in the target border region by building their capacity and resilience, and identification or implementation of sustainable livelihood projects and conflict management strategies.

“In the long-run, the programme aims to economically empower the communities through a judicious mix of socio-economic transformative programmes that include infrastructure development, industrial and agricultural/livestock development projects, and the development of health and educational facilities,” said Clark.

During this trip, she was accompanied by the UN Resident Coordinator, Siddharth Chatterjee – Head of UN Agencies, representatives of the government, development partners and philanthropy groups.

The Marsabit-Borana zone Cross Border initiative is one of the flagship programmes of the UNCT.

The programme was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on 7th December 2015 at the border town of Moyale, together with the IGAD Executive Secretary, Ambassador Mahboub Maalim, and the Governor of Marsabit County (Kenya), and the President of Oromia Regional Government (Ethiopia).

The objective of this programme is in line with the initiative launched in October 2014 by the UN Secretary General, the World Bank President; and the Islamic Development Bank, aimed at boosting economic growth, reduce poverty and promote business activities in the Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda) through, among others, cross-border cooperation.

The strong commitment of the two governments to this unique and innovative programme is reflected in the attached joint opinion piece by the Foreign Ministers of Kenya and Ethiopia about the cross-border initiative to advance peace and development in this marginalized region of the Horn of Africa.

Clark will also be attending the TICAD Conference that will be held from 27- 28 August 2016 

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