INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
IGAD
Ethiopia and IGAD
Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs and National Security Policy and Strategy clearly lays down that the country’s main security threats are of an internal nature, the danger being that widening poverty might lead to the collapse of the nation or that an absence of democracy and good governance might result in increased vulnerability to external threats. This explains the focus on rapid economic development and the building of democratic governance. The policy in fact argues that the country should pursue relations first of all on economic matters; relationships, whether hostile or friendly, should be on the basis of economic development. In maintaining that the economy should be at the centre of its national security strategy, the government is recognizing that it is rapid economic growth that will build the nation’s capacity to withstand internal and external security threats. Ethiopia’s bilateral relations over the last two decades have therefore been an exercise in pursuit of these goals. The result has been the registration of a measure of success which has seen the country capitalize on these relationships to achieve remarkable economic progress while also shielding itself from any major setbacks from rejectionist elements in the region, state and non-state alike.
In parallel with its bilateral engagements, Ethiopia also emphasizes on its role in regional as well as wider multilateral arrangements. Ethiopia’s role in IGAD, for example, is one important indicator of Ethiopia’s policies and strategy at work. IGAD was first established in 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority for Drought and Development (IGADD), a sub-regional organization focusing on prevention of drought and desertification in the region. Its performance during its formative years was hardly impressive despite the existence of a number of efforts to address issues related to cooperation for early warning of drought and efforts to prevent desertification. One important development however was the bilateral talks initiated in 1987 by IGAD between Ethiopia and Somalia, providing for a face-to-face meeting between former President Mengistu Hailemariam of Ethiopia and the then Somali President, Siad Barre in Djibouti.
Another major milestone in the history of IGAD came in 1996 when member states finally decided to revitalize IGAD on more important and far-reaching aims than the original limited focus on drought and desertification. IGAD identified three priority areas on which to concentrate in future: peace and security, infrastructural development and food security and the environment. It might be noted that these priority areas tally perfectly with the main focus of Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs and National Security Policy and Strategy. From the outset Ethiopia played an active role in initiating the priority areas and detailing what they meant in terms of meaningful trans-boundary cooperation among member states. As a result, in the last decade or more IGAD has been in the forefront of efforts to find peaceful resolution to conflicts throughout the region. It has been instrumental in creating forums for Somalis to try to work out sustainable arrangements for peace in Somalia. Ethiopia has indeed played a pivotal role in the series of peace initiatives that have been undertaken so far.It firmly believes that the involvement of regional actors in the quest for a solution in Somalia is a necessity for lasting peace and stability in the region.
IGAD’s role in the quest for sub-regional peace and stability is not confined to the efforts in Somalia. It also spearheaded the efforts that brought about the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005 between the National Congress Party and the SPLM which paved the way for the recently held referendum in Southern Sudan which resulted in the creation of the state of South Sudan. Ethiopia’s role in the whole CPA process was significant, and it played a key part in the formulation of the Declaration of Principles which formed the basis for the CPA. Ethiopia’s involvement emanated from its strongly held view that peaceful and stable neighbours are potential trade and investment partners who might have a significant role in the country’s efforts to ensure rapid economic growth. The experience in Sudan strengthens Ethiopia’s confidence that the peaceful resolution of differences will go a long way to provide for lasting peace and stability in the entire region. Both Sudan and South Sudan are bound to become key players in the region in general and be involved in efforts of Ethiopia and others for regional integration.
IGAD has also been actively involved in setting up institutional frameworks aimed at creating a conducive environment for close cross-border cooperation between member states. The CEWARN mechanism is a case in point. This provides an early warning system that enables countries to share information regarding potential or actual trans-boundary conflicts, helping to avoid cross-border conflicts sparked off by disputes over the use of resources. This is perfectly in line with the government of Ethiopia’s desire to hold potential conflicts in check by seeking win-win solutions to problems when and if they arise. A number of successes have been achieved in this regard and there has been a significant decline in the incidence of cross-border conflicts over resources. It is a testament to the efficacy of the approach. IGAD will certainly continue to play a key role in this regard and Ethiopia remains committed to the development of this and similar projects.
Despite these successes, IGAD has yet to make good on two other priority areas. IGAD’s efforts towards infrastructural development and ensuring food security and environmental protection remain modest. In fact, these are areas in which the organization lags far behind other sub-regional groupings in Africa. Ethiopia, of course, attaches great importance to both of these: food security indeed forms a central pillar of the country’s Foreign Affairs and National Security Strategy and Policy. It is the government’s firm belief that this area should be given even greater priority for IGAD member states to make the best out of the organization in their efforts to address the issues of food insecurity and environmental degradation.
Similarly, the organization has yet to make much progress in the promotion of infrastructural development between and among member states. People-to-people relations are a key factor in enhancing lasting cooperation and mutual benefit among member states, and the role of infrastructural development here cannot be overstated. This is an area to which Ethiopia attaches great importance. It has successfully inaugurated power transmission project with Djibouti, the project with Sudan is nearing completion and it has signed similar project with Kenya. Road and rail links connecting Ethiopia with neighbouring countries are either well underway or in the pipe line. Ethiopia’s use of ports, actual or potential, is another area that is becoming more important by the day as the country is finding greater and greater need for more outlets to meet import and export demands. These are all areas that Ethiopia believes can be worked out in the context both of bilateral relations with neighbouring countries and in the regional context of IGAD. This again tallies perfectly with Ethiopia’s priorities.
Ethiopia’s engagement in the context of IGAD has been entirely consistent with its policies of pursuing mutually beneficial relations with neighbours as part of its central aim of achieving sustainable economic development. It has managed to forge close and dependable relationships with all IGAD member states with the exception of Eritrea through no fault of its own. Eritrea has abandoned its membership in IGAD of its own free will. Unfortunately, it has been at odds with not only the organization of IGAD but with the international community at large. It seems the attitude of the leadership in Asmara is not well suited to the kind of mutual cooperation and trust that informs the relationship between IGAD member states. This is a challenge that IGAD has yet to address. Ethiopia strongly believes and hopes that IGAD should work to bring a responsible Eritrea back into IGAD.
Ethiopia also believes IGAD should redouble its efforts to enhance activities in the priority areas in which its performance has been less than impressive. It is the fervent hope and expectation of Ethiopia that IGAD will grow into one of the most effective building blocks for a future united Africa. This is no idle wish. It is detailed in the Foreign Affairs and National Security Strategy. And it is a goal towards which the government and peoples of Ethiopia are prepared to do everything they can.
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