Djibouti (Somalia Today) — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) expressed regret on Friday regarding Eritrea’s decision to leave the Horn of Africa bloc. Urging Asmara to rethink, IGAD called the move a fresh blow to a regional body already trying to unite divided neighbors in a tense region.
In a statement from Djibouti, IGAD confirmed that Eritrea sent its withdrawal through a formal diplomatic note, known as a “Note Verbale,” to the secretariat.
The authority noted that Eritrea had previously suspended its own participation for nearly two decades before formally rejoining after a June 2023 summit. However, Asmara has stayed away from meetings, programs, and activities since that return.
IGAD said it regretted that Eritrea left without submitting “tangible proposals” or engaging in policy reforms. Despite the exit, the secretariat said it would keep diplomatic channels open, encouraging Eritrea to return “in good faith.”
In a statement dated Dec. 12, Eritrea announced it had told the IGAD executive secretary of its withdrawal. Asmara argued that the group has “forfeited its legal mandate” and authority, claiming it delivers “no clear strategic benefit” to its members.
Originally started as a drought-response body in the 1980s and reformed under its current name in the mid-1990s, IGAD seeks to serve as both a development forum and a political gathering for a region facing conflict, displacement, and climate shocks.
However, the bloc’s success often depends less on its official rules than on the willingness of key capitals to use it as a place for compromise, rather than as another arena for regional rivalry.
Old grievances
Asmara described the split as the end point of a long dispute regarding what IGAD has become.
Claiming a “pivotal role” in the bloc’s 1993 renewal, Eritrea argued that since 2005, the group has turned into a tool used “against targeted Member States; particularly Eritrea.”
Citing these grievances, Eritrea suspended its membership in April 2007. The nation reactivated its status in June 2023, hoping IGAD would reform and “fix its past records.”
Instead, Asmara claims the bloc continued to “break its statutory obligations,” leaving the country “compelled” to leave.
IGAD offered a starker view of recent conduct. The secretariat noted that Eritrea rejoined in 2023 with full support from member states but then failed to join IGAD’s work, despite the organization’s patience and openness.
The 2023 summit note formally recorded Eritrea’s return to the “IGAD Family.” It listed Eritrean presence alongside leaders from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan, while Uganda joined via its foreign minister.
Practically, Eritrea’s decision brings back a familiar pattern of diplomatic absence: political splits shown not only through words but through long vacancies that leave IGAD operating without full regional presence.
Treaty and mandate
The conflict strikes at the core of IGAD’s legal foundations and a reform effort promoted as a vital reset following years of internal strain.
During the June 2023 summit that welcomed Eritrea back, IGAD heads of state signed a new treaty replacing the 1996 founding agreement. This plan aimed to build a “rule-based” organization backed by a strong legal framework.
Since then, IGAD has tracked ratification progress—including Ethiopia’s adoption of the treaty—while urging other states to follow.
Eritrea’s statement dismissed this path as not enough, insisting IGAD had already “lost” its mandate. This charge challenges the basic idea that reform can restore the bloc’s authority rather than require its replacement.
The organization outlines a mission covering peace and security, economic ties, and social development, explicitly telling the executive secretary to identify and flag threats to regional stability.
Regional stakes
The withdrawal happens in a hardening Horn of Africa, where diplomacy has become more transactional, specifically regarding Red Sea access and shifting security alliances.
Eritrea’s split from Ethiopia deepened after it was left out of the talks producing the November 2022 ceasefire that ended the Tigray war, despite Eritrean forces fighting alongside the Ethiopian military during the conflict.
Tensions rose further when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for discussions on Red Sea access. Although Abiy sought to calm alarmed neighbors by denying any intent to invade, regional worries persisted,.
In October 2024, Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia agreed to boost security cooperation, citing support for Somali forces as a main goal. Reuters noted this move is likely to worsen Ethiopia’s isolation amid parallel disputes over sea access.
For IGAD, Eritrea’s exit highlights the weakness of regional plans when political trust is low and different national security needs drive states toward competing alliances.
IGAD said it would continue outreach to Eritrea, urging a return to advance shared goals for peace, stability, and development. In contrast, Eritrea gave no sign it would reconsider its position
While the immediate operational impact may be limited given Eritrea’s lack of participation since rejoining, the long-term meaning is significant.
The withdrawal raises the question of whether this is a temporary break—similar to 2007—or a final statement on Eritrea’s place in a regional order now defined as much by exclusive security pacts as by multilateral cooperation.
