Eritrea withdraws from East Africa bloc IGAD again, citing failure to reform

By Sadik Kedir

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Eritrea has formally notified the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) of its decision to withdraw from the regional body, abruptly ending its second tenure with the organization less than two years after rejoining.

The withdrawal is based on the government’s assertion that IGAD has repeatedly failed to reform and has thus forfeited its legal mandate, the Eritrean Information Ministry said Friday.

The nation had a pivotal role in revitalizing the regional bloc in 1993, working with other member states to establish it as the "primary vehicle" for enhancing regional peace and stability, according to the ministry.

However, the relationship grew strained, leading to the country’s first break in participation in April 2007.

That initial departure was prompted by what the government described as "unwarranted acts," arguing that over time, and particularly since 2005, IGAD "failed to meet the aspirations of the peoples of the region but instead played a deleterious role, becoming a tool against targeted member states, particularly Eritrea."

Eritrea reactivated its membership in June 2023, expressing hope that the organization would respond to its call for reform and "rectify its past records."

However, the government now insists that IGAD "has and continues to renege on its statutory obligations, thereby undermining its own relevance and legal mandate," the statement argues.

The government asserted that it felt "compelled to withdraw its membership from an organization that has forfeited its legal mandate and authority," concluding that the bloc offers "no discernible strategic benefit to all its constituencies and fails to contribute substantively to the stability of the region."