ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with providing a brief introduction to African Union (AU) initiatives to prevent and counter terrorism and institutions within the AU to take the lead in developing relevant strategies. In the absence of a specific AU deradicalisation strategy for the continent the AU, as part of its conflict and mitigation strategies, instead focused on disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration efforts. In April 2012, the African Centre for the Study and Research of Terrorism organised a seminar to examine and evaluate national experiences, establish broad guidelines of analysis for radical discourse and design a common methodology for the African states for developing and implementing counter-radicalisation and deradicalisation programmes, as well as effective legal and administrative measures. Recognising the different realities on the African continent, “traditional” deradicalisation programmes are being developed and implemented in countries directly affected by radicalisation on a national level.
