Kenya hosts a cross-border summit with delegates from Somalia and Ethiopia

Mandera,

Saturday December 16, 2023

KNA by Adan Mohamed

Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia held a significant cross-border summit in Mandera County for two days.

The Mandera Cluster summit aimed at addressing issues and enhance collaboration among communities from three countries. The summit focused on the Cross-Border Community Resilience (CBCR) activity, aimed at enhancing resilience and reducing reliance on humanitarian aid in cross-border clusters, so as to promote local ownership by assisting in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of development investments through leadership support.

Mandera's Deputy County Commissioner, Patrick Meso, expressed gratitude to the organizers for implementing security measures for traders across borders, and encouraged peaceful coexistence among communities from the three countries.

Abdirashid Abdi Hassan, the Commissioner of Somalia's BeledHawa district, pledged to advocate for resilience programs, including agro-pastoral initiatives, to promote interdependence among residents. 

He therefore called on administrations to prioritize tangible works across borders over prolonged conferences and meetings.

Chebiwot Semeywa, Chief Party of Cross-Border Community Resilience, acknowledged the conference's potential to eliminate dependency on humanitarian assistance and foster resilience in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia.

Thus, the summit's ultimate goal is to empower local communities in the three countries, placing the ownership of development interests in their hands. 

Courtesy; KNA