Kenya has formalised its commitment to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) protocol concerning the free movement of pastoralists in border areas, a move aimed at enhancing access to pasture for livestock.
Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi signed the IGAD Protocol on Transhumance, which establishes a vital framework for the safe, orderly, and regulated cross-border movement of livestock and herders among the eight IGAD member states.
Following the signing, the protocol will be presented to the Kenyan Cabinet and subsequently to the National Assembly for approval and ratification.
This protocol addresses key aspects such as the mobility of herders and their livestock, the sustainable management of natural resources including land, water, and pasture, and mechanisms for conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution.
Adopted during the 72nd Extra-Ordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on June 24, 2021, the protocol has already been signed by Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Djibouti.
Kenya's signing makes it the fifth IGAD member state to endorse the agreement. The remaining IGAD member states are Eritrea, Somalia, and Uganda.