Introduction:
The expected decision taken by the Government of Eritrea to pull out of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), brought to our attention the complexities of the Horn Africa outstanding issues, and the shattered role of regional institutions. If we are to begin with the promise and the peril of IGAD, there will be no possibility to escape the fact that IGAD was established to improve the lives of citizens in the region; environmentally and economically, not politically. This lofty objective is not a fanciful dream, but a compelling call for action. No one can argue against harmonising policies and creating favourable conditions for the free movement of trade, goods, services, and people in a region marked by a history of mutual distrust and conflict. Yet the Zone’s citizenry remains threatened by insecurity, economic weakness, climatic vulnerability, health challenges, and poverty. The Reality check is sobering. Significant potential benefits offered by trade and economic integration, peace and stability, and climate change adaptation and mitigation have all remained unrealised. These gaps self-evidently constitute an indictment of the Zone’s collective capacity to translate IGAD’s noble vision into reality.
The shortcomings stem from IGAD’s governing structures and processes; though led by capable Executive Secretary, H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, with whom I had an exemplary working relationship when he was Foreign Minister of Ethiopia and I was an ambassador of the Sudan to Ethiopia, African Union and the Economic Council for Africa UNECA. But, these multiple tasks of IGAD have collided with the regional and global context, frayed by periodic disagreements within the Zone itself, contestations between the external powers, and natural disasters. As a consequence, three decades of sweat and toil have yielded only paltry dividends, threatening to derail the development process and undermine the plans. The human and economic costs associated with this failure are more than just numbers on a page. The resultant trade and economic integration gaps, security challenges, public health threats, and failure to expand human development are readily visible to even the casual observer. Indeed, they scream for urgent attention. Until that is provided, the spectre of deepening regional malaise will cast a long shadow over the predictable transfer of IGAD’s vision into reality.
Historical Landscape:
Landmarks; or where vision met reality, of the historic interplay between original design and eventual deterioration are woven into the fabric of IGAD today. When the original secretariat statutorily imbued a new name, mandate and destination via the 1996 agreement, the roots of expansion remained intact. In addition to pursuing operational and capital goals, the senior management and sectoral experts intended to underline the importance of regional trade, economic integration, security, health, agriculture, environment, gender and youth in joint decisions and actions. To this end, a dedicated division was added to the secretariat. A framework document on IGAD’s common market and concomitant instruments was elaborated. Recurrent supply and demand shocks propelled the IGAD member states and their development partners into addressing trade issues. A Trade and Investment Development Project was designed to enhance trade policy formulation and implementation capacity.
The total and donor budgets sustaining the trade division expanded exponentially. External financing was mobilised for the preparation of policies, strategies, plans, protocols, an office and regular trade-facilitation symposiums. Partners were also engaged in disincentive against the excesses of past trade negotiations. Yet no trade-facilitation agreement has been the unintended consequences of various earlier initiatives, the absence of joint supply responses to regional and global market needs continues to generate a plethora of proposals that can hardly progress beyond the paper stage. Social and technological security blueprints drafted concluded, much the same way that the United Nations common market for eastern and southern Africa has staggered through decades of negotiations for a regional free trade area and a customs union. Crises have instead intensified trade in illicit products across the region. Like by national policymakers have been gathering dust and new ones avoided. In such a scenario, the health and infrastructure sections of the Ibrahim Index of African governance reflect the burden of colonial investment.
Strategic Gaps:
Visionary objectives, while hopeful and ambitious, are simply not sufficient to ensure a strong and decisive impact in practice; or the uncertain journey from intent to impact in a bumpy road. The expectations laid out in the 2016–2020 work programme of the IGAD were indeed both bold and inspiring, serving as a beacon of hope for what could potentially be achieved in a region fraught with challenges. However, just a year later, the UN Office in Nairobi issued a stark warning: “the IGAD region is facing some of the world’s most complicated challenges: famine, protracted refugee situations, terrorism, violent extremism, illicit arms trafficking and armed conflicts, which are exacerbated by climate and environmental changes” (UN 2018). These significant challenges illustrate the complex landscape that IGAD must navigate. Unfortunately, strategic shortfalls; particularly concerning governance, resource mobilisation, collective action, and effective policy implementation, have seriously hindered the organisation’s ability to translate lofty intentions into tangible impact. This gap between ambition and actual change highlights the necessity for rigorous assessment and realignment of strategies to ensure that goals translate into meaningful results for the communities affected.
A substantial and notable surge of external demand presents critical and unique opportunities that can effectively help close these existing gaps that have long persisted. The United Nations Security Council’s monthly briefing on South Sudan throughout the entire year of 2019 has already underscored the urgent and pressing necessity for IGAD to fulfil its vital mandate. It has also emphasised the significant need for renewed and innovative leadership, along with the collective and collaborative engagement of both regional and international partners who share a common interest in sustainable development. However, it is indeed concerning that a relatively small group of nations, rather than the larger and broader global community, continues to bear the considerable and significant costs associated with rising international tensions and competition. This situation poses a serious risk of diverting crucial attention from the essential regional focus that is needed at this critical juncture to ensure both stability and meaningful progress in the long term.
1. Governance and Leadership Shortfalls
The divergence between IGAD’s vision of achieving lasting peace through comprehensive development and the underlying tensions that significantly limit regional cohesion has, on numerous occasions, severely compromised its ability to effectuate meaningful and transformative change. Collective action is absolutely crucial to effectively accomplishing the organisation’s stated objectives, yet, at critical points of greatest need, the necessary political will has often waned, coupled with resources that have been insufficient or poorly utilised. These ongoing inadequacies have resulted in patchy and inconsistent progress, which is clearly reflected in the organisation’s inability to adequately stimulate trade and economic integration, to maintain security and stability, and to effectively meet the essential health and human development goals of the region. The following thorough analysis seeks to pinpoint and identify these significant gaps by meticulously tracing the unmet milestones in various critical areas, including trade and economic integration, as well as security and stability, alongside health and human development outcomes.
Tensions among member states; notably Eritrea and Ethiopia, often stem from the lack of shared political identity and purpose. Elected leaders, in particular, appear preoccupied with power retention, vested interests, and war economies that benefit a narrow constituency, impeding collective regional progress. Periods of relative calm have generally seen limited regional solidarity and cooperation. National interests, often narrowly conceived, have prevailed over regional interests. Such divergences are especially apparent in the conflict in South Sudan, where South Sudan and Uganda have forged a close alliance while the other five member states have adopted a more cautious stance. Although there appears to be a consensus against military intervention, elements of the conflict have begun to spill over the borders into Sudan and Uganda. Recent electoral disputes in Somalia, where foreign troops are expected to withdraw sooner rather than later, have led to increased terrorist activity.
2. Resource Mobilisation and Allocation
Assessing IGAD’s progress against its ambitious vision raises questions of resource mobilisation for execution and delivery. Considerable attention has been paid to potential funding sources such as the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and the European Union, yet these untapped reservoirs remain largely unutilised. Coordination and commitment by member states to allocate resources toward the realisation of milestones have been lacking. Despite relying primarily on external support for the execution of the biannual Action Plans, the institutions remain largely donor-driven, with little direct investment by IGAD member states for implementation. The domestic tax base of the region has shown gradual improvement over recent years, but a lack of political willingness to allocate resources for social and infrastructural investments undermines these potential gains. IGAD’s own resource base remains limited. The inertia with which the region’s member states are moving toward establishing an Intergovernmental Authority on Development Fund points to a huge confidence gap among the partners. Without a resource base, the institution cannot conduct its day-to-day operations and implement decisions and undertake new projects across such diverse areas of cooperation—agriculture, education, health, industry, environment, infrastructure and transport, trade, and business.
Addressing the existing gaps in policy and strategy is crucial for the region to progress toward achieving faster growth and better development outcomes. It is vital to focus on enhancing the capacity for effective preparation, implementation, and appraisal of sound project proposals. These proposals should build upon and integrate with existing programmes and plans that have been established. Such enhancements are essential for securing much-needed international support. Unfortunately, the current lack of a coordinated and cohesive sectoral approach within the region has significantly delayed the flow of development aid and investment. This delay has been especially detrimental to the transport sector, which is a fundamental component for facilitating growth across all economies in the region. By prioritising these areas and fostering collaboration, the region can unlock its potential for sustainable development and economic expansion.
3. Collective Action and Cohesion
Achieving the primary goal of IGAD’s establishment, which was primarily focused on promoting cooperation in trade and industry, was, from the very beginning, the least likely among the major long-term objectives to be fully realised. The initial step in this process, which involves the development of a common market, is currently lagging far behind the anticipated schedule, and regional trade continues to constitute only a small fraction of the total trade undertaken by the member states. Furthermore, the existing trading links that are currently in place could be significantly supplemented by additional connections to eventually form an extensive and well-coordinated regional structure. Various factors come into play, which can further complicate this process, such as high transport costs, notable differences in consumer tastes and preferences, as well as the absence of many naturally complementary commodities that would ideally facilitate greater trade.
Yet, unlike trade in goods, there are clear incentives for mutual support in building and maintaining a peace within which such trade can flourish: each country’s welfare is jeopardised by the active hostility of its neighbours, and is also diminished by any absence of strenuous collective effort in famine relief, or in efforts to avert a famine long in the making. Yet, even on the essential task of peace and of security, the short record of IGAD reflects the impact of resource constraint, and absence of a clear and consistent vision by its leadership: important institutional decisions appear as a response to pressures rather than as an outcome of careful planning. Yet, even on the essential task of peace and of security, the short record of IGAD reflects the impact of resource constraint, and absence of a clear and consistent vision by its leadership: important institutional decisions appear as a response to pressures rather than as an outcome of careful planning.
4. Policy Implementation and Accountability
When policies and strategic plans are approved at the regional level, the secretariat and partner agencies should be under pressure to implement them without delay. However, the failure to have plans in place with sufficient continuity and comprehensiveness has hindered the region’s ability to generate necessary results. As a result, the lack of a robust pipeline of “shovel-ready projects” has made securing funding for investment in IGAD harder; certainly not easier. The situations have often been further complicated by administrative bottlenecks within the funding institutions.
Policy endorsement by regional member states does not seem to be formally linked to a systematic monitoring and evaluation of the speed and efficiency of implementation. Nor do failures to implement plans appear to attract any kind of sanction or loss of credibility. Within the region, this perceived lack of accountability may therefore be regarded as relieving member states of responsibility for fulfilling their regional obligations.
The only area of activity that presents a reasonably constant job flow, in principle, is the collection of data and generation of knowledge products. However, there are no clear lines of accountability for how, by whom, and on what time scales this information is used either to steer decision-making processes or to influence action on the ground. The absence of such requirements inevitably leads to a waste of resources and credibility, both for the funding institutions and for the region’s societies.
External Pressures:
Unmet ambitions within IGAD have not stemmed exclusively from internal weaknesses and shortcomings, but beside internal frictions there is always a global context. Competing agendas and interests of member states have undeniably frustrated a number of aspirations. Tanzania’s President Julius Nyerere, who nevertheless championed the concept of regionalism for Africa, expressed frustration with the focal dilemma facing all sub-regional organisations: their effectiveness tended to be inversely proportional to the extent of their leaders’ needs for assistance. However, the challenges faced by regional organisations in general, and by IGAD in particular, cannot be attributed solely to weaknesses within the organisations. External actors also play an important role, directly influencing an organisation’s ability to fulfil its original mandate.
The post-Cold War international environment appears to have mitigated the impact of the East–West rivalry in the Horn of Africa and, in some cases, to have enhanced cooperative efforts among member states. However, this supposed tranquillity has not been extended to the region’s population, which continues to be subjected to wars and conflicts that produce an enormous economic and human cost. Externally induced conflicts continue to rage in the sub-region, exacerbated by other countries and parts of the world that, having now fallen from the media’s radar screens, suffer from a kind of global neglect. Despite globally streamlining the management of interrelated issues such as poverty, human development, environmental degradation, social disintegration and international crime, many regions of the world, including Africa, remain in precisely these situations.
Case Studies:
History has not been kind to the IGAD in general, and trade- and economy-related issues especially so; which they stand as lessons from unmet milestones. Sustainable regional trade and economic integration are among the core objectives that have remained abstract while the region has grappled with enormous loss of human life and productivity in successive cyclical crises of drought and famine. Consequently, immunisation coverage is at an alarming low and the region continues to be a safe haven for epidemics and diseases. Despite discourse on regional trade and economic integration, the establishment of the Free Trade Area remains a distant dream. In fact, trade between member states is negligible and ad hoc. The member states are still preoccupied with their domestic economies and are yet to recognise the importance of institutions that strengthen economic relationships among them. The region is experiencing rampant external dependency and aid fatigue. The common position on support for the drought-affected countries of the sub-region is yet to be translated into concrete action.
Security and stability challenges are other glaring IGAD milestones yet to be met. The region has asked the international community to save the lives of the drought-affected population. Despite massive resources pledged, the region has not been able to cope with these recurrent crises. The durability of these mechanisms and the fact that they continue to be put in place are still at issue. The underlying crises of governance related to military dictatorships, gross human rights violations, ethnic marginalisation, human trafficking and others go unaddressed. Yet the overall lack of security, stability and peace has propelled the region to rely heavily on external assistance, both humanitarian and development. The IMC recommended that “assistance in the form of monetary support should be coordinated with the instabilities and pressures within the Region and undertaken only when these conditions are likely to remain stable.” Despite the exhortation, peace keeps eluding the region.
1. Trade and Economic Integration Gaps
Despite a well-crafted regional trade protocol, intra-regional trade continues to account for a mere six per cent of IGAD member states’ external trade. Members have yet to reduce internal tariffs, let alone non-tariff barriers to regional trade. Intra-regional trade continues to be hampered by the high cost of doing business. Hence, the growing burden of logistics and transport deficiencies. Such deficiencies have also placed the cost of exploration and exploitation of regional resources, including the oil and gas deposits of the Nile Basin, at prices that make extraction and use uneconomical. The rapid economic growth of some IGAD member states (Ethiopia, South Sudan) has in part come from conducting trade with markets beyond the region, where demand has been consistently high, significant price differentials exist and the capacity to pay is generally higher, as evidenced by the recent trade agreement reached with China.
These various factors have conspired together in a significant way to ensure that transport systems and transformational trade facilities have attracted diminishing levels of investment interest and necessary resources, especially in the critical area of road and rail development. Consequently, these persistent challenges remain serious impediments to achieving accelerated economic growth and meaningful trade development. As a direct result of this stagnation, transport and trade development in the region has now fallen considerably behind that of the rest of Africa. This gap is clearly illustrated by the comparative historical data on the costs associated with transport by road, rail, and air in both regions, highlighting the stark differences in progress and infrastructure development.
2. Security and Stability Challenges
IGAD has gradually developed into a major regional actor for providing peace and stability in the Horn. The Mission Statement clearly articulates that “IGAD seeks to be a united, prosperous and peaceful region, in which governments and societies work together to achieve their common objectives”. In recent years, however, its capability to fulfil this important task has been weakened by internal considerations, such as the refusal of member states to accept an IGAD mandate to intervene during the Somali conflict, but also by external developments, most notably the global anti-terrorism agenda. The situation in Somalia, the lack of regional cooperation and the risks of renewed conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea underscore the fragility of security in the Horn of Africa. The Somali crisis remains the most important source of insecurity in the region, both because of its direct implications on the territories and people of the Horn and because of its potential to spill over beyond the regional borders.
The increased risks of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea highlight the need for a more robust IGAD peace and security architecture, able to operate even in the absence of a consensus among all member states. The establishment of an early warning mechanism is an urgent priority. Above and beyond regional stability, the desire to counter the escalation of terrorist violence, transnational crime and political instability generated by the interaction of poverty and marginalisation in the region’s poorer sub-areas should motivate the international community to actively encourage IGAD’s strengthening in the fields of security and peacebuilding and provide it with the resources necessary to support such an agenda. The approach to security must, however, be applied consistently and such a political strategy must be supported by adequate economic and social measures.
3. Health and Human Development Bottlenecks
Youth have typically been viewed as a burden rather than an opportunity, and the region has collectively missed out on the potential benefits of investing in education, healthcare, and job training for youth, thereby limiting their productive contributions and involvement in decision-making. Beyond basic health services and medicine, investments in education, job training, and youth-friendly programming are seen as vital for population stability, ultimately contributing to effective and equitable governance and political stability. HIV/AIDS is the most serious human health crisis the region has ever experienced. Countries increasingly recognise that progress in diverse sectors – such as education, food security, and the economy – is inhibited by the impact of the pandemic. There is an urgent need for the implementation of integrated approaches to combating the disease and its impacts at national, regional, and international levels.
While IGAD Member States have made strides in addressing the health and development challenges, notably in the areas of peace-building, the prevention and control of infectious diseases at the human–animal–environmental interface, and the establishment of a regional health platform, substantial bottlenecks remain. The region continues to experience undermined health, developmental, and nutritional indicators linked to the effects of conflict, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, endemic poverty and vulnerability, food insecurity, environmental degradation, climate variability, and lack of education. The response to these poverty and hunger challenges has, however, remained limited and donor resources insufficient. Member States are poised to cooperate in alleviating poverty, promoting food security, and combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases by devoting a larger share of national budgets to education, health, and developing the role of youth in the region.
The Cost of Inaction:
When considered as a whole; social, economic, and political impacts, the strategic gaps that have been uncovered, along with the case studies presented, clearly highlight the significant and often overwhelming cost of inaction in these specific sectors that are essential for realising the development aspirations of the peoples living within the IGAD member countries. This, in turn, affects the progress and growth of the entire region itself. While a formal cost–benefit analysis has not yet been conducted, the mounting body of evidence distinctly illustrates the social, economic, and political repercussions that arise from delaying necessary action and decisions. The implications are far-reaching, suggesting that continued procrastination will ultimately lead to far more severe consequences that can hinder development efforts across the board.
The three-fold bottom line of trade and regional economic integration, which encompasses five decades of IGAD and its precursor COMESA’s dedicated pursuit of the initial phase of regional integration, emphasises the importance of a coordinated approach. The Stability and Security Report produced by the esteemed Panel of the Wise, alongside the comprehensive social–economic–political impact assessment regarding the emergence and spread of pandemics, particularly those devastating illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and malaria over the preceding three decades, all reinforce this crucial message. The failures associated with investments in these vital dimensions; namely addressing persistent trade barriers, actively promoting sustainable peace and security, and implementing effective measures to halt and even reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria, carry direct and significant consequences for other regions and sub regions, including SADC and the broader East Africa area. The heightened risk of state failure, alongside the increase in transnational crime and the potential for disease formation and widespread dissemination, notably exacerbates the challenges facing these regions.
Turning the Tide:
Without bold and transformative action; a persuasive pathway to fulfilment, the prospects for achieving meaningful regional integration and cooperation among member states are looking increasingly dim. However, it is essential to recognise that meaningful engagement within IGAD has the potential to reshape the regional direction—for the better. This transformative pathway calls for a renewed and enlightened vision that instils a sense of common purpose and unity among member countries; courageous and visionary leadership that holds all parties accountable for their actions and commitments; decisive, structured, and transparent resource mobilisation that efficiently allocates funding and support where it is most needed; clear and actionable implementation pipelines that ensure that plans and strategies are effectively brought to fruition; and fostering strong partnerships with the external world that prioritise IGAD’s collective goals and aspirations rather than just focusing on national priorities alone.
The vision is transformation through trade and economic integration; security through dialogue and military cooperation; stability through equitable access to human development; and health through regional collaborations and information-sharing. With decisive political will, these crucial dimensions can be fulfilled; and the vital IGAD mission realigned, clarified, strengthened…… and put into effect. Indeed, IGAD’s entire relevance rests on these actions. Without them, the regional body risks becoming the equivalent of an antique marketplace, fundamentally important in its past but now largely irrelevant to present needs. To avoid that fate, seven priorities require concentrated attention: renewed vision and shared identity; bold leadership backed by mechanisms that foster accountability; resource mobilisation and allocation with precision and transparency; implementation pipelines that secure results; and partnerships grounded in IGAD identity and serving the regional whole.
1. Renewed Vision and Shared Identity
An urgent need exists to transform the vision of IGAD from an incompletely, partially fulfilled vision into a shared vision of a region free from conflict, pandemics, ravaging pests and diseases, and extreme poverty. A call for the realisation of this new vision must emanate from the heads of state and government of IGAD member states. The call must trigger a genuine groundswell of political determination to transform IGAD into an authority that integrates the region politically, socially, and economically, moving deliberately towards an East African federation governed by a single regional government with real powers. IGAD does not need more political bodies; what the region needs is the political will to use the existing ones effectively to avoid slippage into intra-regional strife, brutal civil wars, and eventual break-up.
The existing malady is not merely one of too little cooperation among the various member states; the more pressing danger lies in the reality that the entire IGAD machinery is being rendered ineffective due to an excess of unmet cooperation aspirations. It is important to clarify that it is not the IGAD agreements themselves that serve as the source of this danger; rather, it is the failure to adequately revise the existing agreements and to properly channel, supervise, and fund, through the established frameworks, the many different forms of cooperation that the IGAD states have developed in response to the logical pressures of geographical proximity, vulnerability, and emerging opportunities. Such cooperation should certainly be linked through East African Community membership for it to be effective and impactful. The social, economic, and political costs associated with taking no action are far greater, much more daunting, than those involved in taking decisive action; however, the calls for such necessary actions remain largely unheeded across the board.
2. Bold Leadership and Accountability Mechanisms
Regional leadership must align closely with the shared vision and identity of the community. National leaders within the IGAD region have long been dispersed across the global political landscape, embodying diverse ideological, cultural, and economic perspectives. This scattering often results in a reliance on external poles of influence, which carries significant implications for both security and development within the region. The diversity within the region is especially pronounced when examining relationships with entities in the Gulf, the broader Middle East, and the complex internal dynamics present within individual countries. It is imperative that the regional leadership’s collective plans are markedly different, both in content and approach, from those typically crafted by major global financial institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the various United Nations Departments responsible for Political Affairs or Peacekeeping Operations. Only through unique and tailored strategies can the IGAD region hope to address its specific needs and aspirations effectively.
Bold leadership must also provide the necessary catalysts for shared ownership, implement bold ideas among leaders, ensure enthusiasm among the populace and reignite trust in national governance. Decisions are often taken, commitments made, plans and strategies formulated and resources mobilised to implement these, including the much-in-demand- and-needed-share-of-lifetime partners, without being put into action. Smart accountability mechanisms would ensure follow-up and remedial action in cases of failure. An agreed performance scorecard of action and results with genre-based accompaniments for each category of partners can infuse motivation. Such diligence is not a new initiative needs to travel suddenly from scratch. It had been piloted in the region by the IGAD secretariat in the past and is lying on the shelves in the UNDP.
3. Resource Mobilisation with Precision and Transparency
Mobilising human, material, financial, and technical resources is pivotal for policy and strategy implementation. Regional strategies that materialise into firm action on the ground depend on the availability of adequate resources. As experience shows, even where resources are available, expenditure may fluctuate from year to year, while the establishment of suitable internal procedures for supervision and coordination, so crucial for effective implementation, may not be forthcoming. There is often a lack of precise action plans, including time frames, identification of the appropriate agencies, funding requirements, and resource allocation. Unless these deficiencies are corrected, the region will continue to witness important policy initiatives but little tangible action. Providing precise frameworks for mobilising resources, including implementation funding, is therefore essential. Such activity will in turn contribute to putting into operation the sidelines decisions of intergovernmental meetings and summits. Resource mobilisation cannot be viewed in isolation; it is an integral part of the implementation process.
Careful physical and human resource allocation is essential for actualising most regionally poised for IGAD’s technical expertise. However, to date very few of these proposals have drawn the requisite resources for actualisation. Even in areas supported by external funding; such as the HAARP project, teething problems, patterns of agreed commitment, and shortcomings in institutional procurement systems have delayed scaling up the pilot initiatives. Proactive and open engagement with the donor community, screening for donor priorities and aligning them with the region’s needs, are therefore vital. It is equally important to mobilise public and private sector commitment, investment, and action. In many instances, honest and realistic discussions with private sector banks and investment houses will yield more effective results than large public investment budgets. The Fan Milk company of Ghana, undertaking 25% of its mango supply from Burkina Faso and investing as much as USD 1 million for the establishment of a sorghum beverage factory in coastal West Africa, is a model for imaginative, committed private sector action from which IGAD countries can learn.
4. Implementation Pipelines
IGAD’s timely transformation into a powerful and capable organisation relies as much on effectively implementing existing policies as it does on the prudent formulation of visionary strategies that can guide its future development and objectives in a coherent and focused manner; from plans to results. Achievements in this critical area, which includes the careful assessment of current practices alongside their alignment with broader organisational goals, would represent a substantial and significant leap forward toward making the organisation not only more functional in its daily operations and administrative practices but also significantly more effective in enhancing its initiatives and overall impact on regional stability, cooperation, and peacebuilding efforts across the region. This multifaceted approach is essential for IGAD to navigate the complex landscape of challenges it faces while positioning itself as a leading entity dedicated to fostering collaboration, growth, and resilience among the member states in pursuit of a stable and prosperous future for all.
Inaction, along with limited results stemming from past policies, particularly in crucial areas such as trade and economic integration, security, and health; domains that carry the highest social, political, and economic impacts, exposes the entire region to possibly dire and far-reaching consequences. The credibility and effectiveness of IGAD as a leading organisation on vital issues of common interest and concern are currently being put to the test, which in some instances could result in damaging its reputation and undermining its influence. A renewed commitment towards achieving tangible and meaningful outcomes from decisions made in the past would, therefore, greatly facilitate the fulfilment of the regional organisation’s overarching mission and essential purpose. Such crucial initiatives should comprise an agenda specifically designed for turning despair into decisive action, clearly demonstrating that delay and inaction are not to be regarded as the order of the day. The need for proactive measures and results-oriented approaches has never been more urgent, as stakeholders must collectively recognise their roles in fostering a climate of collaboration and responsibility.
5. Partnerships and Inclusive Regional Governance
Beneath the unfolding complexities of the international system lies a multifaceted reality that is shaped by a myriad of factors, which includes significant inequalities between countries, the varying rates of economic and social development across the globe, the coexistence of affluent and impoverished nations, and numerous pressing security issues confronting different regions. It is within this intricate context that both the possibilities and limitations of international cooperation are created and nurtured. The ongoing upheaval of regional interactions, the pressing necessity of adopting diverse partnership strategies, and the critical choices regarding which global powers should be prioritised as partners are all central elements of this significantly transformed reality. As nations navigate this landscape, the implications for diplomacy and collaborative efforts become increasingly complex and essential.
Reviewing the significant impact of global developments in various sectors reinforces the strong need for both IGAD and the new state structures of the region to proactively establish robust relations with the support and assistance of a broad and diverse array of countries, various groups, and prominent international organisations. This situation emphasises the undeniable fact that sustainable development cannot rely on a one-sided dependence on any single country, dominant powers bloc, or specific organisation. It is, therefore, critically important to incorporate not only an economic dimension but, above all, a comprehensive regional perspective in future plans for development. Such plans should focus on crucial areas including economic integration, enhanced trade and resource development, the creation of a thriving common market for goods and labour, impactful development assistance, and the fostering of cooperative relations between the various states. Additionally, establishing meaningful development partnerships can significantly amplify the collective efforts necessary for sustainable growth across the region.
Integration and cooperation with neighbouring countries, whether anchored in existing treaties or new agreements, form a crucial and vital dimension of the comprehensive economic strategy of the Republic of Djibouti. For Djibouti’s strategy to achieve genuine success, an increasing level of political stability, robust security, and appropriate supporting infrastructure must be achieved and maintained, not just within Djibouti itself but also across the entire region, and in particular in Ethiopia, which stands as the most important and strategic partner for Djibouti’s sustained and steady economic growth. The significant changes in the international environment linked to the end of the Cold War era should also catalyse developments that will favour the emergence of the new socio-economic and political structures within Djibouti. Enhancing collaboration with neighbouring nations is essential for fostering regional trade and ensuring that Djibouti can leverage its strategic position effectively.
Conclusion:
IGAD is struggling to reach its remarkable potential in the complex landscape of its mission; though need a serious and loud call to action for realisation. To paraphrase the insightful words of André Gide, one may not seek the unfulfilled aspects within oneself; a painful and stark truth evidenced by the disheartening data at hand. The region’s collective yardstick of social and human development continues to fall short of expectations; indeed, it diverges ever farther from a level that is requisite to meet even the most rudimentary of human needs. This situation is alarming, especially when we consider the pressing requirement to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, despite these challenges, an outward-looking collective vision is firmly in place, beckoning to IGAD members with new possibilities. Its successful fulfilment would mark a truly laudable achievement, one that promises not only improved livelihoods but also a brighter future for all individuals in the region, fostering equity and harmony.
For that to happen, two convergent factors are undeniably necessary: IGAD’s innate comparative advantages must be harnessed effectively, and decisive action on an extensive range of strategic implementation gaps must be taken without delay. These gaps are numerous and varied, encompassing weak governance and lacklustre leadership, inadequate resource mobilisation efforts and inefficient allocation modalities, a significant lack of internal cohesion and collective action, as well as fragile policy implementation that is devoid of robust accountability mechanisms. It is no small feat to bridge these considerable shortcomings, and external demands from beyond IGAD’s borders do not alleviate that significant burden that exists. As has been clearly indicated by the region’s response to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, resource scarcity continues to remain a powerful brake on the fulfilment of these crucial aspirations that no amount of external pressure can truly assuage or mitigate effectively.
The absence of achievement has, far too frequently, been justified or excused by enormous external challenges that seem to overshadow the tasks at hand. However, the truth is that, in many instances, the reasons for this lack of achievement are more often rooted in internal factors within the organisation or system itself. Three critical areas of underperformance distinctly emerge; yet, it is important to note that many other areas could just as easily have been selected for examination and scrutiny. Each of these key areas reflects a significant delay in the process of realising the full potential of IGAD’s founding vision. These areas include trade and economic integration, the intertwined realms of peace, security, and stability, as well as health and human development. Furthermore, these specific areas not only highlight the gaps in progress but also act as valuable checklists for assessing whether genuine action is being undertaken towards the meaningful implementation of the overriding regional ambition. The ultimate goal remains a prosperous, stable, and secure IGAD region that benefits all member states and their populations.
