In a statement on Tuesday, IGAD’s Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu, acknowledged the efforts made during the dialogue and encouraged both sides to engage constructively to resolve the outstanding issues.

“IGAD stands in solidarity with the Somali people and remains committed to supporting their efforts towards national cohesion and stability,” the statement said.

The regional bloc reiterated its long-standing involvement in Somalia’s peace and state-building processes and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Somalia—a founding member of the organization—in achieving sustainable peace and stability.

The call for dialogue comes amid ongoing tensions in Somalia over constitutional amendments and electoral reforms.

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Eritrea accused IGAD of having lost its legal mandate and the authority required to contribute effectively to regional stability.

The ministry’s statement said:

“Eritrea has found itself compelled to withdraw from the membership of an organization that has lost its legal responsibilities and authority, and that has failed to play an effective role in promoting regional stability.”

This decision comes at a time when diplomatic tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia are intensifying, and as IGAD appears to have lost much of its political influence in the region in recent years.

Eritrea views IGAD as lacking neutrality and as being inclined toward Ethiopia, which has frequently exercised leadership over the organization’s decisions. Additionally, although Djibouti hosts IGAD’s headquarters, Eritrea has no diplomatic relations with Djibouti, which has further complicated its ability to operate within the organization.

So far, IGAD has not issued any official statement regarding Eritrea’s decision.

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Minister Omar told lawmakers that Somalia has not yet ratified the treaty, which was approved by Heads of State and Government during the 14th Ordinary Session of the IGAD Summit held in Djibouti on June 12, 2023.

So far, only Djibouti, Ethiopia, and South Sudan have ratified the new agreement.

“There is nothing significant we can change in the treaty. I encourage you to read it thoroughly. If there are any concerns, Somalia can enter reservations before ratification,” Omar explained.

However, the parliamentary discussion quickly shifted from treaty details to broader concerns about Somalia’s continued membership in IGAD, with several MPs proposing a complete withdrawal from the eight-member regional bloc.

“IGAD is composed of some of the most unstable countries in the region,” said MP Mohamed Kooshin, citing ongoing conflicts in South Sudan and Sudan, as well as Uganda’s military presence in Somalia and the internal situations in Ethiopia and Eritrea. “We gain nothing from this body. It is best for Somalia to exit.”

READ MORE: Somalia-Eritrea Relations

MP Dahir Amin Jesow of the opposition Himilo Qaran party echoed those sentiments.

He recalled IGAD’s origins as a six-nation effort to address humanitarian crises like the drought in Ethiopia but said the bloc has evolved into a politically driven organization with deep interference in Somali affairs.

“Our parliament once passed a resolution to keep IGAD frontline states out of Somalia. That shows the level of unwanted intervention,” Jesow said.

“Today, IGAD member states have deployed their troops in Somalia. What we’ve received is not support, but destruction and interference.”

IGAD countries including Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, and Burundi have contributed troops to the African Union mission in Somalia since 2007 to combat al-Shabaab militants and support the federal government.

Despite the criticism, some lawmakers advised caution.

MP Abdisalam Dhabancad warned against a hasty decision to withdraw, noting that IGAD had provided Somalia with significant support over the years.

“We have benefited from IGAD in many ways. Let’s not rush into decisions that could harm our interests,” Dhabancad told his colleagues.

The parliamentary chair announced that discussions on the IGAD treaty will continue. A draft resolution will go through three readings in parliament before a final vote is held.

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The report reveals that in 2022, over 55 million people in seven out of eight IGAD member states were in dire need of immediate food assistance, representing an increase of more than 13 million people compared to the previous year.

The report, known as the IGAD Regional Focus of the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2023, sheds light on the escalating levels of acute food insecurity in the region. The GRFC, an annual publication by the Food Security Information Network (FSIN) in support of the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), highlights the pressing nature of the situation.

The numbers are staggering, with 55.45 million people across Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda requiring urgent food assistance in 2022. This marks the highest number of acutely food-insecure individuals in the region over the past five years. The report also emphasizes the dire circumstances faced by 301,000 people who experienced a catastrophic level of food insecurity (IPC Phase 5) in 2022, with Somalia and South Sudan accounting for the majority of these cases.

The population facing acute food insecurity in IGAD member states has been rapidly increasing since 2020, with over 10 million additional people affected each year. Multiple factors contribute to this worsening situation, including a three-year drought in the Horn of Africa, devastating floods in South Sudan, ongoing conflicts, and economic challenges exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine.

Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, highlighted the link between hunger levels and climate extremes, disasters, conflicts, and economic shocks. In the report’s foreword, Dr. Gebeyehu stressed the spiraling consequences for tens of millions of people, including children, men, and women in the region.

Projections for 2023 paint a grim picture, as up to 30 million people are expected to require humanitarian food assistance in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. Among them, an estimated 7.5 million people in these countries are projected to face large food consumption gaps and adopt emergency coping measures (IPC Phase 4). Furthermore, over 83,000 individuals are anticipated to face extreme food scarcity (IPC Phase 5) in the most severely affected areas, particularly in Somalia and South Sudan. These projections do not even account for the recent clashes in Sudan, which are likely to exacerbate an already dire food insecurity situation.

While the March-May 2023 rains may bring some relief from the worst drought in the Horn of Africa in over four decades, the region will continue to grapple with the catastrophic consequences in the years to come.

The recovery of pastoral and agropastoral livelihoods from the devastating three-year drought will require significant time, and humanitarian assistance will remain critical until households and communities can fully recover.

Conflict in Sudan

In Sudan, the ongoing conflict is expected to rapidly deteriorate food security and nutrition, especially in Khartoum and the Darfur region. By mid-May, more than 1 million people had already been displaced, with approximately 843,000 internally displaced and over 250,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

Rukia Yacoub, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Africa, highlighted the far-reaching impact of Sudan’s conflict on the entire region. Yacoub noted the escalating levels of food insecurity and malnutrition as hundreds of thousands of people flee to neighboring countries, placing additional strain on already scarce humanitarian resources.

The magnitude of the challenges facing Eastern Africa calls for immediate and coordinated action to alleviate the suffering of millions affected by acute food insecurity.

The IGAD Executive Secretary emphasized the need for a paradigm shift to make progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Ending Hunger.

This shift includes building resilience against future shocks, transforming agricultural systems to be more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable, and prioritizing efforts to build and sustain peace. Dr. Gebeyehu stressed the interconnectedness of conflict and food insecurity, calling for bolder action to address the root causes.

Dr. Chimimba David Phiri, FAO’s Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, echoed the urgency for collective action. Phiri highlighted the need to upscale anticipatory action and climate adaptation strategies to prevent future climate emergencies, as demonstrated by the three-year drought in the Horn of Africa. Additionally, sustainable peace-building efforts, increased domestic production, and reduced post-harvest losses are essential to address conflicts and global economic shocks affecting the IGAD region.

Addressing the dire food crises requires the collaboration of international organizations, governments, the private sector, regional organizations, civil society, and communities.

The report calls for aligned efforts and shared evidence and information, emphasizing the importance of long-term strategies to achieve sustainable food security in the region.

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