The role of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in security and peacebuilding in the horn of Africa: the case of Somalia

The collective promotion and advocacy of continental and Sub-Regional initiatives aimed at addressing conflict and building peace has been Africa's primary, if not sole, remedy against the impediments arising from post-Cold War and Post-Colonial International regimes. The expansion of the occupation of regional organizations in Africa to include conflict management and peacebuilding obligations lends general credence to the power of regional integration. However, many problems remain regarding the participation of Regional Economic Communities in peace-building processes on the continent. This study provides a much-needed discussion on the merits of the IGAD as a recognized African Regional Security Front for peace and security in the Horn of Africa region. It recognizes the successes and challenges brought about by IGAD's complicity in peace restoration processes in Somalia. And presents it with a qualitative approach, demonstrating IGAD's power to defend regional peace, security, and diplomacy. This study testifies to the prodigiousness of the regional institutional apparatus in providing platforms for effectively resolving conflicts as well as putting an end to mutual interventions that have proven to lead to conflicts. Key Words: IGAD, Somalia, Regional Security Communities, Regional Security.