Beyond IGAD: The Political Economy of Regional Development in the Horn of Africa
| dc.contributor.advisor | Yonas Tariku(PhD) | |
| dc.contributor.author | Hewan Endashaw | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-12-02T06:32:33Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-12-02T06:32:33Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis examines the political economy of regional integration in the Horn of Africa, through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Despite IGAD’s mandate to bring security and economic cooperation, its effectiveness is complicated by structural flaws, sovereignty disputes, and overdependence on external actors. Through qualitative analysis of institutional frameworks, member-state foreign policies, the study reveals three core contradictions. IGAD’s consensus-based model, designed to respect sovereignty, often results in deadlock during crises. Over 80% of IGAD’s budget comes from external actors like the EU and Gulf states, skewing priorities toward counterterrorism and migration control over locally driven development. Technical projects achieve localized gains but fail to build political trust or institutional cohesion due to uneven implementation and member-state rivalries. The study argues that IGAD’s challenges are existential, requiring more than incremental reforms. The 2023 Agreement, while progressive, lacks enforcement mechanisms to address the Horn’s interconnected crises. Alternative models, such as variable geometry (flexible integration) or decentralized regionalism, are proposed to reconcile sovereignty with collective action. Ultimately, the thesis calls for a reconceptualized framework that prioritizes regional autonomy, balances technical and political integration, and mitigates the distorting influence of external actors. Without structural transformation, IGAD risks irrelevance in a region where instability demands bold, coordinated responses. Key findings includes IGAD’s institutional design perpetuates fragmentation rather than unity. Moreover, member states (e.g., Ethiopia, Kenya) leverage IGAD for national interests, undermining collective security.External funding sustains IGAD but erodes its legitimacy and long-term vision. This research bridges a critical gap in scholarship by interrogating IGAD’s foundational misalignment with the Horn’s political economy, moving beyond prescriptive reforms to explore radical alternatives for regionalism. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7567 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa Unversity | |
| dc.subject | Horn of Africa | |
| dc.subject | IGAD | |
| dc.subject | regional integration | |
| dc.subject | sovereignty | |
| dc.subject | donor dependency | |
| dc.title | Beyond IGAD: The Political Economy of Regional Development in the Horn of Africa | |
| dc.type | Thesis |