African Leaders Advocate for Reassessment of Strategies to Address Violent Extremism

During a security forum in Nigeria, African leaders advocated for a restructuring of institutions dedicated to combating violent extremism in Africa and proposed the establishment of a standby military force and more control over peacekeeping initiatives.

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe stated that while the Sahel region experienced the highest number of attacks on civilians, coastal states such as Togo were encountering increasing threats.

"I say this with prudence and regret, but I think the institutions that have been in place for a number of decades are no longer able to respond to the security situation that we face," said Gnassingbe.

Thus, he urged the creation of "efficient institutions" to battle the threat while calling for interstate cooperation.

"Faced with the security threats plaguing the West African sub-region, Sahel and other regions, we must insist on interstate cooperation with a synergy of action between the defense and security forces as well as establishment of efficient institutions in the context of the reorganization of global balances," he posted on X.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Nigerian President Tinubu Calls for Creation of Regional Anti-Terrorism Center in Africa

22 April, 20:27

Furthermore, according to Moussa Faki, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, the average frequency of daily assaults carried out by extremists in Africa increased to eight and 44 deaths last year. This is a significant rise from the previous period of 2017 to 2021, during which there were four attacks and 18 deaths reported on a daily basis.

A total of 7,000 civilians and 4,000 military men lost their lives last year, Faki noted, emphasizing the need for more investment in Africa to effectively combat the proliferation of terrorism.

Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, stated that the Sahel region is responsible for 50% of the total global deaths resulting from acts of terrorism.

"The situation in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, is dire, with some of the most violent terrorist groups operating in the Sahel; the region's now accounting for almost half of all deaths from terrorism globally," she said.

Moreover, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu called for the establishment of a regional anti-terrorism center in Africa and recalled the importance of implementing the long-proposed idea of creating a rapid reaction force on the continent.

He also urged action to stop the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in African countries and highlighted the importance of addressing the roots of terrorism, which are "poverty, inequality and social injustice."

On April 22-23, a high-level African counter-terrorism summit was held under the theme "Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism" in the Nigerian capital Abuja with the support of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism.

Its goal is to strengthen multilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism and change the collective response of the international community, according to the Nigerian presidency. The event will also help deepen regional cooperation and strengthen the institutional capacity of member states.

The summit is attended by heads of state and government, high-ranking government officials, representatives of international organizations and multilateral institutions.