By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
After only two years of reinstating its membership, Eritrea has once again withdrawn from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), catching other member states off-guard.
The Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the withdrawal, stating that although Eritrea had restored its membership in 2023, IGAD had failed to act on issues that benefit the people of the region.
The ministry accused the bloc of ignoring Eritrea’s repeated calls for organizational reform and failing to operate as a neutral regional body.
In response, IGAD's secretariat said Eritrea had rarely participated in the bloc’s meetings or programs, adding that no prior consultation or official request had been made before Asmara announced its exit.
What Triggered Eritrea’s Decision?
1. Tensions with Ethiopia
Relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia remain strained. Asmara views Ethiopia’s growing influence inside IGAD as a threat—seeing the organization as a platform where Addis Ababa’s political weight could overshadow Eritrean interests.
2. Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access
Eritrea is alarmed by Ethiopia’s intensified demand for sea access, specifically its repeated interest in using or regaining access to Eritrea’s strategic port of Assab.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s public speech asserting that Ethiopia “cannot legally be denied sea access” heightened Asmara’s concerns.
3. Unresolved border concerns with Djibouti
More from Eritrea
Although relations between Eritrea and Djibouti have somewhat stabilized, the Ras Doumeira border dispute remains unresolved.
Ras Doumeira sits on Djibouti’s coastline near the critical Bab el-Mandeb strait—an area of major geostrategic value.
Eritrea remains wary of any IGAD position that might favor Djibouti’s territorial claims.
Eritrea’s Justification for Leaving
Eritrea argued that IGAD has:
• Lost its legal authority and regional mandate.
• Failed to reform despite repeated calls.
• Become irrelevant to the strategic interests of its member states.
Asmara said the organization no longer delivers benefits to the region and does not reflect the needs of its people.
With Eritrea’s withdrawal, IGAD is now composed of seven countries:
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.
