Eritrea Announces Withdrawal from IGAD, Citing Long-Standing Grievances
ASMARA, Eritrea — Eritrea has formally notified the Intergovernmental Authority on Development that it is withdrawing from the regional bloc, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday, accusing IGAD of failing its mandate and being used against certain member states, particularly Eritrea.
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In a statement, the ministry said Eritrea’s decision follows years of disillusionment with the Horn of Africa organization, which it claims has “reneged on its statutory obligations” and undermined its relevance and legal mandate. The government said it was “compelled to withdraw” from an organization it believes no longer serves the collective interests of member states or contributes meaningfully to regional stability.
Eritrea said it played a “pivotal role” in revitalizing IGAD in 1993 and worked alongside neighbors to foster peace, stability and economic integration. But, according to the statement, the group’s direction began to shift in 2005, when it became “a tool against targeted Member States.” That turn, Asmara said, prompted it to suspend its membership in 2007.
Asmara reactivated its IGAD membership in June 2023, expressing hope that the bloc would undertake reforms and correct past missteps. “Regrettably, IGAD has and continues to renege on its statutory obligations,” the ministry said Friday, asserting that the organization failed to meet its responsibilities and continued practices Eritrea deemed politically motivated.
IGAD said it regrets Eritrea’s decision to withdraw from the organization.
Key developments
- Eritrea has formally notified IGAD of its withdrawal, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Asmara accuses the bloc of persistent failure to meet its obligations and alleged misuse against certain members, including Eritrea.
- Eritrea says it helped revitalize IGAD in 1993 but contends the body’s trajectory shifted in 2005 in ways that targeted member states.
- Eritrea suspended its IGAD membership in 2007, then reactivated it in June 2023 in hopes of reform, before announcing its withdrawal on Friday.
- IGAD has expressed regret over the decision.
The ministry did not detail immediate procedural steps following the notification, but framed the move as the culmination of a yearslong effort to engage the bloc on reforms it says never materialized. Eritrea’s statement emphasized the country’s longstanding push for regional peace and integration, while arguing that IGAD’s current posture no longer aligns with those aims.
The announcement signals a deepening rift between Asmara and the eight-nation regional forum at a moment when coordinated approaches to security, diplomacy and economic cooperation remain central to the Horn of Africa’s stability. Eritrea’s critique focused on the bloc’s governance and neutrality, asserting that IGAD has strayed from its founding purpose and been deployed in ways that disadvantage some of its members.
No timeline beyond the notification was provided by Eritrea, and IGAD’s brief response expressed regret without elaborating on next steps.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
