Eritrea withdraws from regional bloc as UN expresses concern over tensions with Ethiopia
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Eritrea withdrew from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development on Friday, accusing the East African regional bloc of acting against the country’s interests.
At the same time, the United Nations has expressed concern over renewed tensions between Eritrea and neighboring Ethiopia, which signed a peace agreement 25 years ago.
Eritrea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that it was withdrawing “from an organization that has lost its legal mandate and authority, which offers no discernible strategic benefit to all its components, and which fails to contribute substantially to the stability of the region.”
Eritrea left IGAD in 2003 and rejoined two years ago, but said Friday the bloc had failed to contribute to regional stability. IGAD responded by saying that Eritrea had not participated in regional activities since its return.
Besides Eritrea and Ethiopia, IGAD includes Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. The organization works on regional policies regarding trade, customs, transportation, communications, agriculture, natural resources and the environment, according to its website.
Eritrea and Ethiopia have accused each other in recent months of interference, raising concerns about the possibility of a resumption of hostilities.
Ethiopia has said it wants peaceful access to the Red Sea through Eritrea, on which it relied heavily for trade before secession. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in September that it was a “mistake” to lose access to the sea when Eritrea gained independence in 1993 by seceding from Ethiopia to form a separate nation. Abiy’s rhetoric was seen as provocative by Eritrea.
The office of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged the two countries to “reaffirm their commitment to a vision of lasting peace and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The UN cited the Algiers Accord signed in 2000, which ended nearly three decades of border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The UN called for a recommitment to the deal, which it described as a “crucial framework” for peace.
Eritrea accused Ethiopia in June of having a “long-standing war agenda” aimed at seizing its Red Sea ports. Ethiopia recently claimed that Eritrea was “actively preparing for war” and that it supported Ethiopian rebel groups.
