Eritrea pulls the plug on IGAD membership

Eritrea has formally withdrawn from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), accusing the regional bloc of failing to uphold its legal mandate and of acting against the interests of certain member states, the Eritrean government said on Friday.

In a statement, Eritrea said it had notified the IGAD Secretary-General of its decision to exit the organization, arguing that IGAD had “forfeited its legal mandate and authority” and no longer offered any strategic benefit to the peoples of the region.

Eritrea said it played a pivotal role in the “revitalization of IGAD” in 1993 following its independence, working with other member states to transform the bloc into an effective vehicle for “regional peace, stability, and economic integration.” However, Asmara accused IGAD of increasingly failing to meet regional aspirations, particularly since 2005, alleging that the organization had become a tool against targeted member states, “particularly Eritrea.”

Those grievances, Eritrea said, led it to suspend its membership in April 2007. Although Eritrea reactivated its membership in June 2023 in the hope that “IGAD would pursue reforms and address past shortcomings,” it said the organization had continued to “renege on its statutory obligations,” prompting its renewed withdrawal.

IGAD, in a statement, said it had taken note of Eritrea’s decision, which was communicated through a formal diplomatic note. “Since June 2023, IGAD notes with regret that Eritrea has not participated in IGAD meetings, programmes, or activities,” the statement said, adding that the Secretariat had remained open to “engagement and dialogue.” IGAD also said Eritrea had not submitted “proposals for institutional or policy reforms” prior to its decision to withdraw. The organization urged Eritrea to reconsider its position and “rejoin in good faith to advance shared objectives of peace, stability, and development” in the Horn of Africa.

Djibouti, the current chair of IGAD and host country of its Secretariat, also expressed regret over Eritrea’s decision. In a separate statement, Djibouti said it had received Eritrea’s notification of withdrawal on Dec. 12. Djibouti recalled that Eritrea’s return to IGAD had been formalized in Djibouti during the June 2023 summit and “reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue” with all member states to “promote peace and respect for national sovereignty.” It added that IGAD remained open to all countries of the sub-region in accordance with its founding charter.

Eritrea’s relationship with IGAD has long been fraught. While it played an active political role during the organization’s “revitalization” in the early 1990s, Eritrea never fully completed the legal steps required to formalize its membership, including ratifying key IGAD protocols.

Ties deteriorated further amid regional conflicts, particularly the Eritrea–Ethiopia border dispute, with Asmara accusing IGAD of bias toward Ethiopia. Eritrea’s latest withdrawal underlines its continued skepticism toward multilateral regional institutions, even after briefly re-engaging with IGAD following the 2018 Eritrea–Ethiopia peace agreement and its formal return in 2023.

The withdrawal comes at a time when the Horn of Africa is facing a deep and multidimensional crisis, particularly growing fears of renewed conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The rapprochement between Asmara and Addis Ababa was initially hailed as historic, ending two decades of hostility. Relations reached their peak in 2020 when both countries jointly entered the Tigray war. Although Eritrea has consistently maintained a position of deniability regarding its direct role, its military involvement has been widely documented by international organizations and media outlets.

The war devastated Tigray and plunged Ethiopia into a prolonged political and security crisis that continues to destabilize the region.

Tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia resurfaced after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed the Pretoria Agreement in late 2022, formally ending the Tigray conflict. Eritrea was neither involved nor consulted in the negotiations, a move that reportedly angered Asmara and contributed to a breakdown in trust between the two former allies. Since then, fears of interstate conflict have steadily grown as relations between the two governments have visibly deteriorated.

Over the past year, both countries have engaged in a public exchange of accusations. Ethiopia has intensified its rhetoric around access to the Red Sea, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed describing Ethiopia’s lack of sea access as a “historical mistake” that must be corrected, remarks that alarmed Eritrea and were widely interpreted as a challenge to its sovereignty. These statements have further fueled Eritrea’s frustration with Abiy’s leadership. Addis Ababa has also accused Eritrea of territorial encroachment and of supporting various armed groups inside Ethiopia, including the FANO militia, while simultaneously alleging that Asmara has maintained covert links with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Beyond bilateral tensions, the crisis has broader regional implications, particularly for IGAD itself. Recent reporting by the Africa Intelligence has highlighted the bloc’s severe financial constraints, with IGAD reportedly in acute financial distress and employees unpaid since the end of 2024 due to member states failing to meet their assessed annual contributions. Eritrea’s withdrawal further weakens the organization at a moment when coordinated regional diplomacy is urgently needed. As war drums beat, political and security crises escalates, and trust in the regional bloc erodes, the Horn of Africa faces an increasingly uncertain and volatile future.