The Role of Individual Member-states in Sub-regional Organizations Conflict Management: a Case of Kenya in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development

Abstract

This study focuses on the role of individual member-states in sub-regional conflict management; a case for Kenya in IGAD. It examines the role played by individual member states towards the efforts carried out by the sub-regional organizations in managing conflicts; highlighting the reasons for states’ engagement, how states have been involved and the implications of their involvement in sub-regional conflict management. The study is concluded with recommendations on more surgical, impactful and operational strategies to ensure that regional organizations address the challenges they are facing and be able to execute their mandates more effectively specifically through stabilizing themselves financially without over-reliance on the contributions given by member states. The study further recommends the distinguishing of national and regional interests as well as constant review of regional organizations guiding principles. The study sets out two hypotheses. The first one is that, national interest is the instrument for the formulation of foreign policy. The second one is, collective states’ interests in a regional set up are not always individual states’ interests in conflict management.The study depended largely on primary and secondary data with the intermediate use of maps and narratives including thematic approach to present the information situated within the national interest concepts. This study adds emphasis on the national interest concept pointing out that, national interests are always at the core of all foreign affairs of states. Having established that security interests matter first, states will craft their foreign policies to pursue their own national interests. States’ main objective is to pursue their economic, political and territorial security which they will seek to guard at all costs including intervention in conflicts in strengthening regional organizations. This pursuit determines their conduct in international system including formation of regional organizations to address the common interests and issues affecting them. Specifically, this study establishes that the main motivation for Kenya to support IGAD in conflict management is to safeguard its national interests. This study demonstrates analytically the implications of states’ interests over those of the region in their involvement in conflict management. The implications of Kenya’s robust involvement in supporting IGAD’s conflict management roles are broadly categorized into economic, security and political implications. The study also establishes that the interests of the regional organizations are more or less the same as those of the member states. This, as much as it helps in attaining the common goal, brings contention as the interests may be conflicting. This lowers the credibility and capacity of regional organizations in conflict management since states may opt out or choose to stand aside when they perceive that their interests are at stake thus undermining the process of peace pursuit.