Sudan, Kenya assigned to bring Eritrea back to IGAD

Tesfa-alem Tekle

June 15, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) winded up its Addis summit on Saturday assigning Sudan and Kenya to continue mediation process to bringing Eritrea back to the membership of IGAD.

Eritrea suspended its IGAD membership in April 2007 in protest to member states refusal to condemn and take actions against Ethiopia for sending troops to Somalia.

Ethiopia yesterday has taken IGAD chairmanship from Kenya.

Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki, the outgoing chairperson of IGAD said that Eritrea’s decision to withdraw from IGAD membership and the continual border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia are a serious threat to peace and security in the region.

Kibaki indicate that Kenya and Sudan will discuss with the Eritrean government officials to convince them to re-join IGAD.

Past efforts tried to bring the red sea nation back to membership has ended without any breakthrough.

However, in addition to efforts by Kenya and Sudan, the European Union Development Commissioner, Louis Michel, who attended the IGAD summit in Addis Ababa will also travel to Asmara, the Eritrean capital on Sunday to talk with President Isayas Afeworki to try and convince him to re-join IGAD.

“There is no reason for Eritrea to be out of this regional grouping” Michel said.

Eritrea has dominated discussions at an East African summit in Addis Ababa attended by all regional leaders except Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki.

Member states have collectively condemned Eritrea’s military attack on its neighbor, Djibouti, where two days clash left 12 Djiboutian soldiers killed and 60 others wounded.

(ST)