Building an African Counter-Terrorism Architecture

Abstract

Following September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the world trade centre in the United States of America, the phenomenon of terrorism has attracted increasing global attention. Coupled with this is the observable trend in the proliferation of terrorist groups in many parts of the world. To tackle these issues, nation-states, sub-regional, regional and continental bodies face the daunting task of evolving effective strategies for checkmating or containing the phenomenon. Indeed, many African countries have come to be faced with the problem of how to curtail the activities of terrorist groups, most of who operate on an established external link with notable and wealthy global insurgency groups. The overarching effects of these threats have become unprecedented and worrisome in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, the search for practical solutions has been a challenge to scholars, state functionaries, and even attack victims. The paper provides an overview of the apparent vulnerability of the continent to increasing terrorist-related activities and the weak capacities of African countries’ leaders to respond to the unwholesome trend. Hence the call for developing a continental-counter terrorism strategy for the African continent.