Inception Workshop on Community Togetherness: Community Level Discussions on Reintegration

An inception workshop project titled “Inception Workshop on Community Togetherness: Community Level Discussions on Reintegration” was recently organized by the Alliance of Civil Society Organization of Tigray (ACSOT) in collaboration with USAID/ESP. The workshop, held in Mekelle, aimed to address the issue of reintegrating ex-combatants with the community in Tigray. It brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from religious councils, community leaders, Edir, CSOs/CBOs, youth, and women. A total of 40 participants attended the workshop.

The objective of the inception workshop was to create awareness among stakeholders about the importance of successful reintegration of ex-combatants into society. During the opening session, Mr. Yared Berhe, the Executive Director of ACSOT, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the need for awareness creation before implementing the reintegration process. He highlighted the crucial role that civil societies play in realizing successful ex-combatant reintegration. Kirose Weldeslasea, Head of the National Rehabilitation Commission of Tigray, also emphasized the positive impact that proper reintegration implementation can have on bringing peace to Tigray and the Horn of Africa.

The workshop included presentation by Dr. Ykalo, coordinator of the project, and interactive discussions aimed at defining its scope and objectives. Participants actively engaged in discussions on effective and efficient project implementation. Stakeholders provided valuable feedback, highlighting various critical aspects of successful ex-combatant reintegration, such as economic challenges, societal trauma, territorial unity of Tigray, respect for ex-combatants, and job creation opportunities.

The input from stakeholders during the workshop provides valuable insights that can guide policies and interventions aimed at successful ex-combatant reintegration in Tigray.