HAVING REGARD to the objectives of the County Governments created under Article 176 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya, 2010 and whose roles and functions are enumerated in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution and further elaborated in the County Governments Act, 2012;

IN PURSUANCE of the provisions of Article 189 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya which encourages the Government at each level, and different governments at the county level, to co-operate in the performance of functions and exercise of powers and, for that purpose, to set up joint committees and joint authorities;

BEARING IN MIND the provisions of Section 118 of the County Governments Act which empowers the County Governments of the to enter into an agreement to provide or receive any service that each county participating in the agreement is empowered to provide or receive within its own jurisdiction, including services incidental to the primary purpose of any of the participating counties

DEEPLY CONCERNED by the recent escalation of general insecurity in the four counties of Baringo, Isiolo, Laikipia and Samburu;

CONVINCED of the urgent need to bolster peace and development in the region as a common concern shared by all the residents in the four counties of Baringo, Isiolo, Laikipia and Samburu;

AWARE of the perennial problem of cross county border armed incursions involving cattle rustling, private farm invasions, criminal attacks by bandits on civilians and security officers;

COGNIZANT of the continued suffering of innocent residents of the four counties who have been unable to exploit economic opportunities that abound the region;

RECOGNIZING that the four counties suffer unique and common problems that particularly afflicts the pastoral sub-sector which have created a situation of abject poverty, destitution and polarisation as permanent phenomena;

FURTHER AWARE that meaningful social economic development can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity through political goodwill, respect for and adherence to the rule of law and strict enforcement thereof;

CONSCIOUS that in order to promote meaningful and sustainable development, there is need for the elected leaders to commit to foster close collaborations and to build trust between and amongst communities of the four counties and to promote harmonious co-existence and an integrated economic development agenda;

MINDFUL of the need to address historical and geographical isolation and persistent neglect that have rendered the entire region poor and insecure for the last fifty years;

NOTING ESPECIALLY, that the residents of these areas have been victims of prolonged environmental stress such as drought and famine due to unpredictable weather patterns;

ALARMED by the endless supply and proliferation of illegal firearms that have contributed to the general state of insecurity, lawlessness and cross county border attacks;

FURTHER CONCERNED by the acute state of unemployment and lack of economic opportunities amongst the youth emanating from minimal access to education and cultural barriers;

DETERMINED to open a new chapter characterised by the pursuit of shared prosperity, inclusivity in diversity, and promote conservation of shared unique and common ecological system and cultures; and

ACKNOWLEDGING that interdependence, mutual understanding, good neighbourliness and meaningful co-operation amongst the Member Counties are indispensable to the realisation of these ideals;