In the framework of the Khartoum Process, Senior Officials' Meetings are the main fora for policy dialogue, offering a unique opportunity for Members to exchange views on the progress made individually and jointly and the way forward in achieving the aims of the Process.
The most recent Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) took place in Asmara on 7th March 2019 and marked the beginning of the Eritrean Chairmanship of the Khartoum Process. The chairmanship of the Process is ensured on an alternating basis from among African and European participating States. With Italy as the outgoing Chair, Eritrea took up this role for the year of 2019.
The purpose of the SOM was to update the participants on the developments within the Khartoum Process, to present the work plan for 2019, and to discuss governance matters, as well as to launch the preparations for the update of the Joint Valletta Action Plan (JVAP), as agreed during the JVAP SOM in Addis Ababa (November 2018). Additionally, this meeting resulted in a decision to embark on a multiannual planning process, to ensure the sustainability of the Dialogue and continuity between the various Chairmanships.
The SOM was preceded by a Steering Committee Meeting on the 6th March, focused on the Steering Committee’s governance, the 2019 Work Plan, including the priorities and the vision of the Eritrean Chairmanship, the follow-up to the 2018 Joint Valetta Action Plan (JVAP) Senior Officials’ Meeting, and the agenda of the Khartoum Process’ SOM.
