Conflict Prevention in Sub-Regional Institutions: The Case Study of IGAD in Ethiopia from 2015-2020

Conflict prevention is the primary objective of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Despite efforts made by the institution, it has, however, not succeeded in preventing conflict in Ethiopia. IGAD, like other sub-regional institutions in Africa, has established an early warning early response mechanism and a Mediation Support Unit that is aimed at preventing conflicts. The study examines the legal and institutional framework of IGAD for conflict prevention. A qualitative case study research design was employed in this study. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select eighteen informants for the study, and data was collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews, document reviews, and literature reviews. Five themes have been identified for data analysis. The findings show that the legal and institutional framework of IGAD is relevant for preventing conflict, however, it has identified several limitations within and beyond the scope of the legal and institutional framework.