IGAD is an 8-country, sub-regional organization established in 1996. It covers a population of ca. 200 million and includes states from the HoA, the Nile Valley and the Great Lakes. It is one of 8 subsidiary regional economic communities (RECs) of the African Union (AU) whose vision is to achieve peace, prosperity and sustainable development through regional cooperation and integration. IGAD is relevant for Switzerland as it is the only REC working on all themes and in all target areas of the Swiss Cooperation Programme Horn of Africa (CPHoA). It is a strategic venue to influence policy making, with good regional ownership and legitimacy based on its good results despite the region’s volatility. Yet, IGAD suffers from severe weaknesses. For years, the donors-IGAD relationship has lacked coherence and a commonality of purpose, with IGAD receiving project-focused support rather than integrated programming.

Against this backdrop, an Institutional Strengthening Action Programme (ISAP) was launched in 2009 out of a shared understanding between IGAD and a small donor group of the need for capacity building. Switzerland joined the ISAP Coordination Group (ICG) in 2014 as core member in order to influence the structuration of ISAP phase III as a coherent support programme uniting all donors under one roof. This decision was based on the growing number of Swiss Government entities having initiated projects with IGAD in recent years. Accordingly, a second multi-year allocation to the ISAP pool fund is now proposed in order to consolidate the achievements of the previous phase and ensure their planned and gradual anchoring in IGAD’s established structure in order to bridge, maintain and sustain capacity development measures after conclusion of ISAP IV in 2025 with exit plans for external support. 

Primary: IGAD Secretariat + IGAD Specialized Institutions

Secondary: IGAD Member States + IGAD donors + Other Stakeholders

The ISAP IV comprises of two outcomes:  

1. Corporate performance and operational efficiency of IGAD (Secretariat and Specialized Institutions) enhanced
2. Collaborative engagement between IGAD (Secretariat and Specialized Institutions) and stakeholders (Member States, development partners and others) for effective delivery of services and obligations established

Expected results:  

Key outputs of the planned phase under Outcome 1 will include activities: 

• to establish Effective IGAD Corporate Governance (Treaty and related instruments in place)
• to strengthen performance and Results Based Management
• to strengthen IGAD’s key business processes and procedures compliant with international standards (IPSAS, EU Pillar assessment)
• to improve staff competence and productivity
• to improve IT delivery, communication and visibility
• to promote gender equality and women empowerment

Key outputs of the planned phase under Outcome 2 will include activities: 

• to strengthen interactions between IGAD and member states for efficient delivery of mandate
• to enhance collaboration between IGAD (Secretariat, Specialized Institutions) and development partners
• to establish closer working relationships and linkages with private sector, civil society organizations other relevant stakeholders

Results from previous phases:  

• IGAD Regional Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 approved
• New sector policies drafted
• Committee of Directors to improve management functions appointed
• Committees of Eminent People to ease programmes’ implementation in MSs created
• Gender Unit strengthened
• Dialogue fora in line with Paris Declaration
• Staff trained in Results Based Management
• Ties with business, civil society organizations, universities & research bodies strengthened