Back

APSACO 9th Edition-Rethinking Counterterrorism & Defense Policies in Africa: From Vision to Capacity

June 19, 2025
Related topics: 
Security & Defense
Terrorism
Africa

The evolving threat of terrorism across Africa, from the Sahel to the Horn and beyond, continues to challenge national governments, regional stability, and international peace efforts. While military operations and security-driven strategies have dominated the counterterrorism landscape, they have often yielded limited, short-term results.  

The persistence and expansion of terrorist networks call for a deeper reassessment of current approaches and a renewed emphasis on inclusive, coordinated, and sustainable responses. In this context, the role of multilateral cooperation and the alignment of international and regional priorities become increasingly crucial. 

- How can African states and their international partners move beyond militarized responses to adopt more holistic counterterrorism strategies? 

- What lessons can be drawn from past cooperation efforts, and how can they inform a more unified and effective counterterrorism framework? 

RELATED CONTENT

  • Download PDF
    U.S-Algerian Security Cooperation and Regional Counterterrorism
    Authors
    Alexis Arieff
    July 1, 2011
    This paper explores the recent evolution of security cooperation between the United States and Algeria, which have forged a strong partnership on counterterrorism despite lingering mutual distrust. The United States has strengthened its defense outreach to Algeria over the past decade, largely based on concerns over transnational terrorism, and Algeria has sought to benefit from this outreach as it positions itself as a vital player on regional issues following years of civil confli ...
  • Download PDF
    Trafficking in the Sahel-Saharan zone: features and stakes
    Authors
    Jean-Luc Peduzzi
    February 20, 2010
    On November 5th 2009, a cocaine-loaded Boeing 727 aircraft arriving from Venezuela was discovered torched and emptied on a makeshift airstrip in the Malian desert (Gao region). The sahel-saharan area is clearly a contact zone between very distant worlds. ...