It was affirmed that the establishment of IGAD Inter-parliamentary union adds to the search and consolidation of peace, security, political stability and socio-economic development in East Africa.

The speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Honorable Ambassador Teshome Toga has remarked this in his welcoming address to the first Inter-Parliamentary Union of IGAD/IPU-IGAD/ conference held on 28th of November 2007 at the UNECA conference center to deliberate on different issues and concerns of the sub-region.

Hon. Ambassador Teshome urged that the members states of inter parliamentary union of Intergovernmental Authority on Development should address the formidable challenges of peace, security and stability that faced the peoples of the sub-region.

Moreover, it was stressed that the parliamentarians should work together to ensuring cooperation and partnership of the peoples’ of the sub-region with the objective of leading to regional integration and resolving international disputing issues in the similar manner.

The first Inter-parliamentary union /IGAD-IPU/ conference being conducted in Ethiopia during the new Ethiopian millennium celebrations makes it special and expresses the solidarity and friendship between the peoples of Ethiopia and member states.

Meanwhile, executive secretary of IGAD hon. Dr Attalla Hamad Beshir on his part said that the main objective of the establishment of the union is to further enhance the significant role played by the parliamentarians on the search and consolidation of peace, security and building of democracy and good governance in the sub-region.

It was expected that the representatives of the union will deliberate on agendas of adoption of rules of procedure, organization of the bureau, committees and secretariat as well as budget for the year 2008 and venue of the 2nd conference.