Responding to Terror: An Assessment of African Union Counter-Terrorism Strategies

The terrorist threat is escalating, spreading across the continent with an alarming 22 countries in Africa targeted by terrorists.1 This has caused great concern in Addis Ababa, seat of the AU. For some years, both its predecessor (the Organisation of African Unity — OAU) and the AU have worked to end the scourge of terrorism on the continent. The fact that terrorism has intensified in scope is clear evidence of a counter-terrorism strategy that is not working. From a broad overview of the existing counter-terrorism regime, we turn to understanding the reasons for the AU’s inability to eliminate the terrorist threat posed to the continent and its people. Finally, a case study of AMISOM in Somalia is provided where several of the themes discussed are unpacked in more concrete terms.