Eritrea has announced its withdrawal from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, accusing the regional bloc of acting against its interests and failing to uphold its mandate…reports Asian Lite News
Eritrea has withdrawn from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), escalating a diplomatic rift within the East African regional bloc at a time of renewed concern over relations between Eritrea and neighbouring Ethiopia. The decision was announced on Friday by Eritrea’s foreign ministry, which accused IGAD of failing to contribute to regional stability and acting in ways that undermine Eritrea’s interests.
In a sharply worded statement, the ministry said Eritrea was withdrawing “from an organization that has forfeited its legal mandate and authority; offering no discernible strategic benefit to all its constituencies and failing to contribute substantively to the stability of the region.” The statement suggested that continued membership no longer served Eritrea’s political or security objectives.
IGAD responded by saying Eritrea had not participated in the organisation’s activities since rejoining two years ago, pushing back against the suggestion that the bloc alone was responsible for the breakdown in relations. Eritrea had previously quit IGAD in 2003 before returning in 2023, a move that was widely seen at the time as part of a broader recalibration of its regional diplomacy following years of relative isolation.
IGAD comprises eight countries: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. According to its mandate, the organisation works on regional cooperation in areas including trade, customs, transport, communications, agriculture, natural resources and environmental protection. It has also played a prominent role in conflict mediation efforts across the Horn of Africa, including in South Sudan and Sudan.
Eritrea’s departure now raises fresh questions about IGAD’s cohesion and influence at a time when the region faces overlapping political, security and humanitarian challenges. The bloc has struggled in recent years to maintain unity amid divergent national interests and competing alliances among its member states.
The announcement coincided with a warning from the United Nations over rising tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia, whose relationship remains volatile despite a formal peace agreement signed 25 years ago. The office of UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides on Friday to “recommit to the vision of lasting peace and the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The UN pointed to the Algiers Agreement of 2000, which ended nearly three decades of border war between the two countries, calling it a “crucial framework” for peace. The agreement formally concluded hostilities that had claimed tens of thousands of lives and left deep mistrust on both sides of the border.
Despite a rapprochement in 2018 that earned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed the Nobel Peace Prize, relations between Asmara and Addis Ababa have deteriorated in recent months. Both countries have traded accusations of interference, fuelling fears of a return to open confrontation.
Ethiopia has said it wants to peacefully regain access to the Red Sea through Eritrea, a route it relied on heavily for trade before Eritrea’s independence in 1993. In September, Abiy said it was a “mistake” for Ethiopia to have lost access to the sea when Eritrea seceded to form a separate nation. While Ethiopian officials have framed the issue in economic and strategic terms, Eritrea has viewed the rhetoric as provocative and potentially threatening.
In June, Eritrea accused Ethiopia of harbouring a “long-brewing war agenda” aimed at seizing its Red Sea ports. More recently, Ethiopia claimed Eritrea was “actively preparing to wage war against it,” and alleged that Asmara was supporting Ethiopian rebel groups. Both governments deny the accusations made against them, but the exchanges have heightened anxiety among regional observers and international partners.
The UN’s intervention underscores growing concern that the diplomatic temperature between the two countries is rising at a moment when the Horn of Africa is already destabilised by conflict in Sudan, insecurity in Somalia and economic strain across the region. Any renewed confrontation between Eritrea and Ethiopia would have far-reaching implications, not only for bilateral relations but also for regional trade routes and security cooperation.
Eritrea’s withdrawal from IGAD adds another layer of uncertainty. Critics of the bloc have long argued that it lacks enforcement power and is often constrained by the political sensitivities of its members. Supporters, however, see it as one of the few forums capable of bringing regional actors together around shared challenges.
For Eritrea, the decision appears to reflect long-standing scepticism about multilateral organisations and a preference for bilateral engagement on its own terms. For IGAD, it represents a setback at a time when collective action is increasingly needed to manage escalating risks across the Horn of Africa.
Whether Eritrea’s exit will deepen its diplomatic isolation or prompt a reassessment of IGAD’s role remains unclear. What is evident is that tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia are again drawing international attention, with the UN urging restraint and a renewed commitment to agreements that once promised lasting peace.
