Insecurity in the Horn of Africa and the role of IGAD

Abstract

Regional organizations are indispensable in order to address regional response for common problems among nation states. Despite the proliferation of various regional organizations in Africa, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is unique in having its focus on regional security, where other regional organizations are more economically oriented. This is due to the characteristics of the security situation in the Horn of Africa. This chapter examines the evolvement of IGAD's role over the years given the characteristics of the instability in the Horn of Africa and Japan's approach towards IGADs efforts. Although insecurity in Africa is often caused by multilayered and inter-linked factors and is difficult to define a particular cause, this section aims to shed light on various plausible explanations and arguments shaping the instability in the Horn of Africa. When considering the factors of a long-standing regional instability in a region, one of the most traditional approaches is the geopolitical approach.