By AGGREY MUTAMBO

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Regional bloc Igad on Friday picked Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok as its chair.

The decision, reached by consensus, during the Ordinary Summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa is seen as compromise to avert fallout after Kenya, Djibouti differed over seat.

Hamdok will take the mantle from Ethiopia which has held the position since 2010.

Sudan will now hold the position for one year, giving PM Hamdok a new clout just months after he became the head of a transitional government formed after the ouster of Omar al-Bashir.

Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed had been the chair since he took power in April 2018.

Ethiopia had held the position through his predecessors Meles Zenawi and Hailemariam Desalegn successively since 2010.

This was the first Ordinary Summit in ten years, a fact that allowed Addis Ababa to dominate the bloc.

Key points:
-Igad adopted new organisational structure meant to make it "rule-based and predictable."
-Somalia to host blue economy conference next year.
-Igad wants sanctions imposed on Sudan and South Sudan lifted to help them recover their economies.
-Igad, however, delayed adoption of the draft Establishment Treaty which would have turned the bloc into a more expansive organisation with specialised organs. The decision to adopt the treaty will come after each member assesses some drawbacks noted.
-Igad formally approved new Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu.
-Sudan is now Igad chair wand will host next Ordinary Summit.