ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — September 9, 2026 — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has convened its 5th regional meeting on refugee inclusion in national education systems, bringing regional partners together to assess progress toward ensuring that refugee children can access education alongside children in their host countries.
The two-day meeting, held in Addis Ababa, was organized with UNHCR and the Government of Ethiopia. Discussions are focused on reviewing implementation of the Djibouti Declaration on Refugee Education and updating the regional action plan guiding cooperation among IGAD member states.
Moving Refugees Into National Education Systems
The initiative reflects a broader shift away from treating refugee education primarily as a temporary humanitarian service toward integrating displaced children into national education systems.
This is particularly important in the Horn of Africa, where countries host large refugee and displaced populations and where displacement can last for years.
Parallel education systems created specifically for refugees can provide essential short-term assistance, but they may also leave displaced children separated from national institutions and make it more difficult to maintain consistent educational standards.
Greater inclusion can help refugee students access recognized curricula, qualifications and pathways into higher education and employment.
Why Education Is an Integration Issue
For IGAD, refugee education is also connected to regional stability and integration.
Children who remain outside formal education for extended periods risk losing opportunities to develop the skills needed to participate productively in society. Expanding access to national education systems can strengthen human capital while supporting greater interaction between refugees and host communities.
Education can therefore become part of a longer-term regional response to displacement rather than simply an emergency intervention.
From the Djibouti Declaration to Implementation
The meeting provides IGAD member states with an opportunity to examine progress since the adoption of the Djibouti Declaration on Refugee Education, identify remaining challenges and update priorities for regional action.
The critical issue will be implementation. Integrating refugee children requires adequate classrooms, trained teachers, financing, documentation systems and cooperation among governments and international partners.
For a region confronting persistent displacement, the objective is significant: ensuring that refugee children are not permanently placed outside the national systems responsible for preparing the next generation.
IGAD’s regional approach recognizes that displacement crosses borders—and that providing education to displaced children must therefore be viewed not only as a humanitarian responsibility, but as an investment in the Horn of Africa’s future stability, development and integration.
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