An African Perspective on the Global Fight Against Terrorism

Abstract

In this presentation on the global fight against terrorism, the author emphasizes that the response to the terrorist threat is everyone's business and that it should be expressed by a mobilization of international public opinion and cooperation by states in the framework of regional and multilateral organizations. One condition for successful cooperation between countries resides in a transparent exchange of information on terrorist groups and their networks of logistical support networks, communication, and weapon supplies. What has Africa done so far to counter terrorism? On July 14, 1999, African countries adopted the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism. The establishment of the African Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers is an important step in regional cooperation. When fully operational, the ACSRT will provide African countries with the means to lead a more effective fight against terrorism. Under consideration also is the creation of a Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU). Headquartered at the African Union in Addis Ababa, the CTU will be mandated under the authority of the Commissioner for Peace and Security, with the followup of the Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism and its additional Protocols, as well as with the recommendations set forth in the 2002 and 2004 Plans of Action. The CTU will work directly and regularly with the ACSRT. It will receive national reports from Member States and will be entrusted with establishing lists of individuals and organizations involved in terrorist activities in Africa and leaders of transnational financing and logistical support networks. Finally, the author discusses three U.S. initiatives between the United States and the African countries (the Pan-Sahel Initiative, the Trans-Sahara Counter-terrorism Initiative, and the East African Counter-Terrorism Program) and the critical role of the United Nations in the fight against terrorism.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 15, 2005
Accession Number
ADA441209

Entities

People

  • H. E. Kherbi

Organizations

  • National Defense University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Continents
  • Crime
  • Human Rights
  • International Law
  • International Relations
  • Law
  • National Security
  • Security
  • Social Problems
  • Societies
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United Nations
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Strategic Security Studies