Intergovernmental Authority on Development

Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
الهيئة الحكومية للتنمية
Autorité intergouvernementale pour le développement
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Seal
Headquarters Djibouti Djibouti City
Official languages English
Membership
Leaders
 Executive Secretary
Kenya Mahboub Maalim
Establishment January 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
$197.202 billion
 Per capita
$888.5
Time zone UTC+3 (East Africa Time)

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is an eight-country trade bloc in Africa. It includes governments from the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley and the African Great Lakes. Its headquarters are in Djibouti City.

Member states

Horn of Africa
  •  Djibouti (founding member, since 1986)
  •  Ethiopia (founding member, since 1986)
  •  Somalia (founding member, since 1986)
  •  Eritrea (admitted 1993, withdrew 2007, readmitted 2011)[1]
Nile Valley
African Great Lakes
  •  Kenya (founding member, since 1986)
  •  Uganda (founding member, since 1986)

Formation

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development was established in 1996. It succeeded the earlier Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), 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]

IGASOM/AMISOM

This article is part of a series on the
politics and government 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).[4]

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.[5]

Current situation

  • IGAD is a principal supporter of the Federal Government of Somalia through the AMISOM initiative.
  • IGAD expanded its activities in 2008 with initiatives to improve the investment, trade and banking environments of member states. The organization stressed the deployment of highly innovative programmes and mechanisms.

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 Eng. Mahboub Maalim of Kenya (since 14 June 2008).
  • 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.

Comparison with other regional trade blocs

African Economic Community
Pillars
regional
blocs (REC)
1
Area (km²) Population GDP (PPP) ($US) Member
states
in millions per capita
AEC 29,910,442 853,520,010 2,053,706 2,406 54
ECOWAS 5,112,903 349,154,000 1,322,452 3,888 15
ECCAS 6,667,421 121,245,958 175,928 1,451 11
SADC 9,882,959 233,944,179 737,335 3,152 15
EAC 2,440,409 169,519,847 411,813 2,429 6
COMESA 12,873,957 406,102,471 735,599 1,811 20
IGAD 5,233,604 187,969,775 225,049 1,197 7
Other
African
blocs
Area (km²) Population GDP (PPP) ($US) Member
states
in millions per capita
CEMAC 2 3,020,142 34,970,529 85,136 2,435 6
SACU 2,693,418 51,055,878 541,433 10,605 5
UEMOA 1 3,505,375 80,865,222 101,640 1,257 8
UMA 2 5,782,140 84,185,073 491,276 5,836 5
GAFTA 3 5,876,960 166,259,603 635,450 3,822 5
1 Economic bloc inside a pillar REC

2 Proposed for pillar REC, but objecting participation
3 Non-African members of GAFTA are excluded from figures

  smallest value among the blocs compared
  largest value among the blocs compared

During 2004. Source: CIA World Factbook 2005, IMF WEO Database

See also

Notes

  1. "Intergovernmental Authority on Development: About us: History". IGAD. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  2. "East African bloc admits South Sudan as member". Reuters Africa. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  3. 1 2 "IGAD - About us". Intergovernmental Authority on Development. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  4. "SOMALIA: African Union endorses regional peace plan". IRIN. 14 September 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  5. "Resolution 1744 (2007)" (PDF). United Nations Security Council. Retrieved 25 August 2013.


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