Eritrea Reunites with East African Bloc After 16-Year Absence
Eritrea Rejoins Regional Bloc After 16-Year Hiatus: A Step Toward Strengthening Regional Ties
Asmara, Eritrea – On Monday, Eritrea’s Information Minister announced that the country has officially rejoined the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Eastern Africa (IGAD), marking a significant step in Eritrea’s efforts to rebuild and strengthen its relationships with neighboring nations.
Eritrea’s departure from IGAD in 2007 was triggered by its objection to the deployment of Ethiopian troops in Somalia to combat al-Shabab militants, who had significant control over southern Somalia at the time.
“Eritrea Resumes IGAD Participation in Djibouti Summit
Following the 14th Ordinary Summit held in Djibouti, Information Minister Yemane Meskel announced Eritrea’s return to active engagement within IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development). While the specific motivation behind this decision was not disclosed, Eritrea expressed its commitment to collaborate with other IGAD member states to promote peace and stability in the region.
Eritrea, under the leadership of President Isaias Afwerki since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has a history of conflicts and disputes with neighboring nations. The country has also faced sanctions from the United States and the European Union due to allegations of human rights abuses.
However, in recent years, Eritrea has made efforts to mend relations. In 2018, it signed a historic peace agreement with Ethiopia, formally ending the decades-long state of war resulting from a border conflict. Additionally, Eritrea reestablished diplomatic ties with Somalia, normalized relations with Djibouti, and strengthened its relationship with Kenya, which announced plans to open an embassy in Asmara this year.
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Despite these diplomatic overtures, human rights organizations continue to raise concerns about President Afwerki’s repressive rule, citing issues such as forced military conscription, leading to a steady stream of Eritreans fleeing the country each year. According to the 2023 Global Slavery Index, Eritrea, Mauritania, and North Korea rank among the countries with the highest prevalence of modern-day slavery.
Eritrea also faced international criticism for alleged atrocities committed by its soldiers during the 2020-2022 conflict in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Eritrean forces supported Ethiopian troops against Tigrayan forces, and while Asmara has denied these allegations, witnesses have reported continued human rights abuses in the region, even after a November truce officially ended the war. In a recent development, thousands of people in Tigray protested against the presence of Eritrean troops, a matter not explicitly addressed in the truce agreement.”
