NAIROBI, Kenya – Africa’s path to lasting peace won’t be paved by fragmented efforts. At least not if the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has its say.
Speaking at the 4th Policy Session of the African Union’s Inter-Regional Knowledge Exchange (I-RECKE) on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention, IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu called on African leaders to move beyond scattered responses and embrace bold, collective action.
“Africa’s security will be shaped not only by how early we detect threats, but by how boldly and collectively we act to prevent them,” Dr. Workneh said, urging a serious pivot toward coordinated, forward-looking strategies.
The I-RECKE platform, a brainchild of the African Union, was created to bring together Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and regional mechanisms under one roof—sharing knowledge, aligning priorities, and reinforcing cooperation in early warning and conflict prevention.
Dr. Workneh made a strong case for why collaboration through I-RECKE isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity.
He stressed the importance of strengthening the links between continental and regional systems, advocating for early warning mechanisms that do more than ring the alarm.
The forum highlighted the agency of common action in the implementation of actions geared towards updating alerts to reach all concerned. The stresss was however on the actions taken following the warnings, emphasizing that without actions , the warnings are of no use.
“Early warning without early action is not just a missed opportunity—it’s a dangerous gamble,” Dr. Workneh added.
In his words, they must “trigger timely, collective responses to safeguard peace across the continent.”
The call was clear: Africa’s peace infrastructure needs less reaction and more proaction.
And as the conversation around security, governance, and stability continues to evolve, IGAD is betting on one thing—unity is the real early warning system Africa needs to listen to.
