The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MENSUR) of Djibouti organized, in partnership with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), FAO, UNDP, UNESCO, WFP, The European Union, the University of Djibouti and the Centre for Study and Research in Djibouti (CERD), a workshop on the establishment of a Regional Research on Resilience and Development Network (3RDN) on 15-16 February 2017 in Djibouti.

The workshop aimed to concretize the results of the conference on resilience, research and innovation (RRI) held in October 2015 and which foresaw the setting up of a technical working group to link resilience programming with the results of research and innovation through the participation of various stakeholders involved in research or resilience-related development work, to address in a timely, relevant, effective and negotiated manner, the challenges posed by droughts.

Participants to the workshop included around 40 experts from research centres and organizations based in Djibouti, relevant ministries of Djibouti, regional and international organizations such as CILSS and IGAD, UN agencies UNICEF, WFP and various colleagues from FAO (including colleagues from the regional office for Africa, the resilience hub (RTEA) team in Nairobi and country offices, as well as the RO based in HQ).

The main outcome of the workshop was the preparation of a draft roadmap plan for the establishment of the technical support group in order to provide a mechanism for better coordination and knowledge sharing on innovations that strengthens resilience by linking research, policy and practice.