NAIROBI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Inter Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Thursday opened an office at the border of Kenya and Ethiopia to boost conflict resolutions, peace and development between the two countries.
Matteo Frontini, support for effective cooperation and coordination of cross-border initiatives (SECCCI) project manager at the UNDP regional service center for Africa (RSCA), said the office will boost trade and peaceful co-existence among communities living along Kenya-Ethiopia border.
"The office will help in addressing the drivers of conflict and instability, irregular migration and displacement in these cross-border areas," Frontini said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
He said the office, which will serve southwest Ethiopia, northwest Kenya, Marsabit, Borana and Dawa in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, will ensure that neighboring communities participate in development activities.
The UNDP official noted that the field team will be working hand in hand with local governments, communities, civil society and private sector to provide cross-border technical support to enable the implementation of livelihoods, peace building, and capacity building activities that will sustain peace and harmony on these border areas.
"We intend to strengthen regional policy frameworks, structures and protocols for cross-border cooperation, build capacities of communities and ensure effective cooperation and coordination, monitoring and evaluation of cross-border initiatives between Kenya and Ethiopia," said Frontini.
"The EU believes that the opening of the UNDP-IGAD field level cluster coordination office in Moyale will promote cross-border coordination and cooperation," said Sabrina Bazzanella, Team Leader Migration of the EU Delegation to Ethiopia.
"It will ensure that the project activities benefit local institutions and communities that have suffered a lot from marginalization and conflict for the past years," she added.
