Organization:Intergovernmental Authority on Development

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Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

الهيئة الحكومية للتنمية
Autorité intergouvernementale pour le développement
Seal of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development
Seal
  Member states   Withdrawn   Suspended 15px Headquarters
  Member states
  Withdrawn
  Suspended
15px Headquarters
HeadquartersDjibouti City, Djibouti
Official languagesEnglish
Membership
Leaders
• Chair
Ismail Omar Guelleh
• Executive Secretary
Workneh Gebeyehu[2]
EstablishmentJanuary 1986 (as IGADD)
1996
Area
• Total
5,204,977 km2 (2,009,653 sq mi)
GDP (PPP)estimate
• Total
$337.82 billion
GDP (nominal)estimate
• Total
$393.042 billion
• Per capita
$888.5
Time zoneUTC+3 (East Africa Time)
Website
igad.int

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is a trade bloc in Africa. It includes governments from the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley and the African Great Lakes. It is headquartered in Djibouti.

Formation

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development was established in 1996. It succeeded the earlier Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD),[note 2] a multinational body founded in 1986 by Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, with a focus on development and environmental control. IGADD's headquarters were later moved to Djibouti, following an agreement signed in January 1986 by the member states. Eritrea joined the organization in 1993, upon achieving independence.[3]

In April 1995, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government met in Addis Ababa, where they agreed to strengthen cooperation through the organization. This was followed with the signing of a Letter of Instrument to Amend the IGADD Charter / Agreement on 21 March 1996. The Revitalised IGAD, a new organizational structure, was eventually launched on 25 November 1996 in Djibouti.[3]

Member states

Horn of Africa

  •  Djibouti (founding member, since 1986)
  •  Ethiopia (founding member, since 1986)
  •  Somalia (founding member, since 1986)

Nile Valley

  •  South Sudan (admitted 2011,[4] suspended December 2021)[5]
  •  Sudan (founding member since 1986, suspended participation in 2024,[6] rejoined 2026)[7]

African Great Lakes

  •  Kenya (founding member, since 1986)
  •  Uganda (founding member, since 1986)

Partner states

IGAD have partner states outside the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley and the African Great Lakes for participating at IGAD-RCP meetings on an ad hoc basis.[1]

  •  Austria
  •  Belgium
  •  Canada
  •  Chad
  •  Denmark
  •  Egypt
  •  France
  •  Germany
  •  Greece
  •  Ireland
  •  Italy
  •  Japan
  •  Libya
  •  Netherlands
  •  Niger
  •  Norway
  •  Sweden
  •  Tunisia
  •  United Kingdom
  •  United States
  •  Yemen

Former members

  •  Eritrea (admitted 1993, withdrew 2007, attempted to rejoin in 2011,[8][9][10] rejoined 2023,[11] withdrew 2025)[12][13]

IGASOM/AMISOM

  1. REDIRECT Template:Politics of the African Union

In September 2006, the AU Peace and Security Council approved an IGAD proposal to deploy an IGAD Peace Support Mission in Somalia (IGASOM).[14]

On 21 February 2007, the United Nations Security Council approved Resolution 1744, which authorized the deployment of a new African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) in place of IGASOM.[15]

Current situation

  • IGAD is a principal supporter of the Federal Government of Somalia and backed it through the AMISOM and ATMIS initiatives.[16]
  • For its regionial strategy from 2021 to 2025 IGAD stated that their mission was to "promote regional cooperation and integration to add value to Member States efforts in achieving peace, security, and prosperity." And their aim was "transformation towards sustainable development, resilience and stability in the IGAD Region"[17]
  • As of early 2026, IGAD remains the primary regional body overseeing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which was signed in September 2018 to end the civil war.[18] On January 28 of 2026 IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu Expressed concerns over 2026 Jonglei offensive.[19]

Structure

  • The Assembly of Heads of State and Government is the supreme policy making organ of the Authority. It determines the objectives, guidelines and programs for IGAD and meets once a year. A Chairman is elected from among the member states in rotation.
  • The Secretariat is headed by an Executive Secretary appointed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for a term of four years renewable once. The Secretariat assists member states in formulating regional projects in the priority areas, facilitates the coordination and harmonization of development policies, mobilizes resources to implement regional projects and programs approved by the council and reinforces national infrastructures necessary for implementing regional projects and policies. The current Executive Secretary is Workneh Gebeyehu of Ethiopia (since 29 November 2019).[20]
  • The Council of Ministers is composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and one other Minister designated by each member state. The Council formulates policy, approves the work program and annual budget of the Secretariat during its biannual sessions.
  • The Committee of Ambassadors comprises IGAD member states' Ambassadors or Plenipotentiaries accredited to the country of IGAD Headquarters. It convenes as often as the need arises to advise and guide the Executive Secretary.

Ambassador Mahboub Maalim handed over as Executive Secretary [21] to Workneh Gebeyehu in late 2019. Maalim, a Kenyan nominee, had served from 2008 to 2019.

Executive Secretaries

No.[22] Name Country Took office Left office
1 Mekonnen Kibret  Ethiopia 1986 1990
2 David Muduuli  Uganda 1991 1996
3 Tekeste Ghebray  Eritrea 1996 2000
4 Attalla Hamad Bashir  Sudan 2000 2008
5 Mahboub Maalim  Kenya 2008 2019
6 Workneh Gebeyehu  Ethiopia 2019 Incumbent

Comparison with other regional trade blocs

Template:African Economic Community

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Suspended membership.
  2. ↑ The first "D" in the abbreviation "IGADD" could mean "drought" or "disaster", while the second "D" meant "development".[citation needed]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "IGAD-RCP". https://www.iom.int/intergovernmental-authority-development-regional-consultative-process-migration-igad-rcp. 
  2. ↑ "The IGAD ES Page" (in en-US). https://igad.int/the-igad-es-page/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "IGAD - About us". Intergovernmental Authority on Development. http://www.igad.int/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=124. 
  4. ↑ "East African bloc admits South Sudan as member". Reuters Africa. 25 November 2011. https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE7AO0A820111125. 
  5. ↑ "Regional bloc suspends South Sudan's membership over failure to pay fees" (in tr-TR). https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/regional-bloc-suspends-south-sudans-membership-over-failure-to-pay-fees-3585922. 
  6. ↑ "Sudan suspends ties with East African bloc over paramilitary leader's summit invitation | Fox News". https://www.foxnews.com/world/sudan-suspends-ties-east-african-bloc-paramilitary-leaders-summit-invitation.amp. 
  7. ↑ "Djibouti says Sudan returning to IGAD regional bloc after two-year suspension". 8 February 2026. https://sudantribune.com/article/310426. 
  8. ↑ "Intergovernmental Authority on Development: About us: History". IGAD. 9 January 2010. http://www.igad.org/. 
  9. ↑ "Eritrea rejoins East African bloc IGAD". Reuters. 28 July 2011. https://www.reuters.com/article/eritrea-ethiopia-idAFL6E7IS17A20110728. 
  10. ↑ Befekadu Bogale (2014). "Eritrea's Relation with IGAD and the OAU/AU: The Domestic and International Dynamics". Turkish Journal of International Relations 13 (3): 4. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/19340. 
  11. ↑ "Eritrea rejoins east Africa trade and security bloc IGAD after 16 years". africanews. 14 June 2023. https://www.africanews.com/2023/06/13/eritrea-rejoins-east-africa-trade-and-security-bloc-igad-after-16-years//. 
  12. ↑ Tesfalem Araia; Hanna Temuari (12 December 2025). "Eritrea quits regional bloc as tensions rise with Ethiopia". BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly555k8de3o. 
  13. ↑ "IGAD Regrets Eritrea’s Decision to Withdraw from the Organisation". IGAD. 12 December 2025. https://igad.int/igad-regrets-eritreas-decision-to-withdraw-from-the-organisation/. 
  14. ↑ "SOMALIA: African Union endorses regional peace plan". IRIN. 14 September 2006. http://ports.co.za/news/article_2006_09_15_3438.html#five. 
  15. ↑ "Resolution 1744 (2007)". United Nations Security Council. http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Documents/1744.pdf. 
  16. ↑ Opata, Austine (27 December 2025). "IGAD Secretariat Reiterates Its Firm Commitment to the Federal Republic of Somalia’s Unity, Sovereignty, and Territorial Integrity". https://igad.int/igad-secretariat-reiterates-its-firm-commitment-to-the-federal-republic-of-somalias-unity-sovereignty-and-territorial-integrity/. 
  17. ↑ "IGAD Regional Strategy 2021-2025: The Framework - World | ReliefWeb" (in en). 13 February 2023. https://reliefweb.int/report/world/igad-regional-strategy-2021-2025-framework. 
  18. ↑ Djama, Mohamed (23 September 2024). "IGAD Executive Secretary’s Statement on the Extension of South Sudan’s Transitional Period and Call for Renewed Efforts in Implementing the Revitalised Peace Agreement". https://igad.int/igad-executive-secretarys-statement-on-the-extension-of-south-sudans-transitional-period-and-call-for-renewed-efforts-in-implementing-the-revitalised-peace-agreement/#:~:text=The%20Executive%20Secretary%20welcomes%20the,the%20Republic%20of%20South%20Sudan.. 
  19. ↑ Djama, Mohamed (28 January 2026). "Statement by the IGAD Executive Secretary on the Security Situation in South Sudan". https://igad.int/statement-by-the-igad-executive-secretary-on-the-security-situation-in-south-sudan/. 
  20. ↑ "IGAD countries leaders applaud Dr Workneh's appointment as executive secretary". https://igad.int/executive-secretary/2309-igad-countries-leaders-applaud-dr-workneh-s-appointment-as-executive-secretary. 
  21. ↑ "Executive Secretary Hails Italy's Support to IGAD". Intergovernmental Authority on Development. http://igad.int/index.php?view=article&catid=46%3Aexecutive-secretary&id=762%3Aitalys-support-to-igad&format=pdf&option=com_content&Itemid=123. 
  22. ↑ "The IGAD ES Page" (in en-US). https://igad.int/the-igad-es-page/. 

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