The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Mahboub Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.
 
The Secretary-General underscored the importance of IGAD as a partner in managing and resolving conflicts in the region.  He and the Executive Secretary reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the IGAD-UN partnership in the area of conflict prevention.
 
The Secretary General expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan and stressed the need for the region to exert collective pressure on the country's leaders to stop fighting and implement the peace agreement.
 
The Secretary-General commended IGAD’s efforts to support political processes, peacebuilding and reconciliation initiatives in Somalia.  He emphasized that peace and continued political progress in Somalia will depend on the character of the country's future security forces, which must be Somali-owned and Somali-led, and based on an inclusive political agreement between the federal government and all the regions.