Eritrea has rejoined the East African bloc, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), nearly 16 years after pulling out of the body, Information Minister Yemane Meskel said Monday 12 June 2023 at the 14th Ordinary Summit of IGAD in Djibouti.

“Eritrea resumed its activity in IGAD and took its seat” at a summit organized by the seven-nation bloc in Djibouti on Monday, Meskel said on Twitter.

He said the country was ready to work toward “peace, stability, and regional integration.”

 

The Asmara government quit the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Eastern Africa (IGAD) in 2007 to protest Ethiopian troops’ entry into Somalia to force out its Islamist rulers.

Eritrea’s return to IGAD will allow it to participate in regional discussions and decision-making processes, which could help to address some of the challenges facing the region, such as conflict, poverty, and climate change

Why did Eritrea walk out from the East African bloc?

Eritrea suspended its membership in the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in 2007.

The reason for the walk-out was due to a string of disagreements, including over the bloc’s decision to ask Kenya to oversee the resolution of a border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Another reason for the walk-out was the deteriorating relationship between IGAD member Eritrea and Sudan.

Analysts say that Asmara’s withdrawal from IGAD was the first sign of deteriorating relations between the Red Sea state and regional countries over Somalia, where the Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group is battling to overthrow a U.N.-backed government.

Eritrea rejoined IGAD in 2023, citing recent developments such as the independence of South Sudan and the need for a coordinated effort to tackle a regional humanitarian crisis for its re-entry.

The IGAD region stretches over an area of 5.2 million km2 that comprises the countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.