ABSTRACT

This book illustrates how Africa’s defence and security domains have been radically altered by drastic changes in world politics and local ramifications.

First, the contributions of numerous authors highlight the transnational dimensions of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in Africa and reveal the roles played by African states and regional organisations in the global war on terror. Second, the volume critically evaluates the emerging regional architectures of countering terrorism, insurgency, and organised violence on the continent through the African Union Counterterrorism Framework (AU-CTF) and Regional Security Complexes (RSC). Third, the book sheds light on the counterterrorism and counterinsurgency (CT-COIN) structures and mechanisms established by specific African states to contain, degrade, and eliminate terrorism, insurgency, and organised violence on the continent, particularly the successes, constraints, and challenges of the emerging CT-COIN mechanisms. Finally, the volume highlights the entry of non-state actors – such as civil society, volunteer groups, private security companies, and defence contractors – into the theatre of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in Africa through volunteerism, community support for state-led CT-COIN Operations, and civil-military cooperation (CIMIC).

This book will be of use to students and scholars of security studies, African studies, international relations, and terrorism studies, and to practitioners of development, defence, security, and strategy.

part I|165 pages

Conceptual perspectives

chapter 1|13 pages

Introduction

The frontiers of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in Africa

chapter 6|14 pages

Saudi Wahhabis and jihadi terrorism in Africa

Between fairy tales and conspiracy theories

chapter 9|13 pages

Laws of armed conflicts, counterterrorism and counterinsurgency

Emerging conceptual and empirical contours in the battle space

chapter 11|14 pages

Participatory security in Africa

part II|129 pages

Transnational perspectives

chapter 12|19 pages

UN counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in Africa

Paradigm shifts and emerging structures

part III|95 pages

Regional perspectives

chapter 20|16 pages

African Union

Emerging architecture for regional counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in Africa

chapter 21|15 pages

ECOWAS

Emerging regional architecture for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in West Africa

chapter 22|14 pages

IGAD

Emerging regional architecture for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in the Horn of Africa

chapter 23|16 pages

Southern Africa

Regional architecture for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency

chapter 24|19 pages

Gulf of Guinea

Regional architecture for anti-piracy and maritime security

chapter 25|13 pages

Lake Chad Basin

Emerging regional architecture for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency

part IV|131 pages

National perspectives

chapter 27|17 pages

Uganda

The state and its struggle against the Lord’s Resistance Army

chapter 28|12 pages

Somalia

Al-Shabaab, counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in a recovering failed state

chapter 29|15 pages

Egypt

Transnational terrorism, counterterrorism and counterinsurgency

chapter 30|15 pages

Libya

Rethinking humanitarian intervention and the dilemmas of counterinsurgency in Africa

chapter 31|13 pages

Tanzania

Counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in an unstable region

chapter 32|16 pages

Algeria

The struggle against Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb

chapter 33|13 pages

Sierra Leone

Warlordism, complex emergency and counterinsurgency

chapter 34|15 pages

Ethiopia

Counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in Africa’s volatile Horn

part V|116 pages

Alternative perspectives

chapter 36|11 pages

Humanitarian aid and terrorism in the Sahel

Preventing or fuelling conflicts?

chapter 37|15 pages

Civil-military cooperation

Joint military-civilian operations in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in North-East Nigeria

chapter 38|11 pages

Violent non-state actors

The challenges of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in Africa

chapter 41|8 pages

Civilians in the frontline of counterinsurgency operations

The Civilian Joint Task Force in the war against the Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria