For Africa, the fears and responses of most developed countries towards what is known as ‘international terrorism’ have had serious repercussions for the continent’s development goals. Literature would suggest that HIV/AIDS, poverty, corruption, small arms proliferation, crime and post-war reconstruction are the ‘real’ challenges to human security on the continent. But foreign aid has increasingly been linked to the introduction of new and often draconian anti-terrorism measures, notably anti-terrorism laws, and not to the eradication of poverty and related development goals. International donor funds and foreign aid have been made available for law enforcement or legislative issues relating to terrorism.

Despite Africa’s growing participation in the global fight against terrorism, the post-September 11 discourse on terrorism has been overwhelmingly determined from outside Africa. African voices have only contributed on an ad hoc basis and African scholars and experts from different parts of the continent have had few occasions to share their views and assessments on these issues.

These concerns formed the focus of discussions at a two-day seminar organised by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam in March 2006. Sponsored by the Norwegian government, and entitled ‘Towards understanding terrorism in Africa’, the seminar brought together scholars and analysts from the whole continent to discuss issues such as:

• Definitions and historical interpretations of terrorism in Africa;
• The causes of terrorism in Africa;
• The consequences of tackling the causes of terrorism from a historical context;
• Whether terrorism poses a security risk to Africa;
• How to address terrorism in Africa;
• Terrorism and its manifestations in the Horn of Africa, Western, East and Southern Africa;
• Whether there is a political will to combat terrorism in Africa;
• How to counter terrorism from the African Union’s (AU) perspective;
• How to carry out threat assessments on the continent; and
• What strategies should inform an African voice in the international terrorism discourse.

Some of the discussions and contributions to the seminar have been included in this issue of the African Security Review (ASR). Professor Samuel Makinda provides an overview of how terrorism and counter-terrorism measures have undermined the norms, rules and institutions that underpin security in Africa. He argues that through the use of indiscriminate violence, terrorism has maimed and killed innocent people, threatened jobs and dented democratic processes of resolving conflict in society, while military and legislative counter-terrorism measures have caused the deaths of innocent people, undermined democratic governance and eroded civil liberties. Thus, African states should devise creative and innovative approaches to combat terrorism. A sustainable counter-terrorism strategy should focus on strengthening institutions and enhancing development and social justice.

This is also one of the key issues illuminated by Martin Ewi and Dr Kwesi Aning, who provide expert analysis on the AU’s role in combating terrorism on the continent. They argue that the AU has played the role of a catalyst, a clearinghouse, and a standards setting organ for the prevention and fighting of terrorism on the continent. Since September 11 (hereafter 9/11), the main concern of the AU has been to reinforce and implement existing counter-terrorism instruments adopted at the continental level in coordination with states and regional organisations. The authors stress the role of the AU as complementary and as an interface between the continent and the international community.

Dr Cyril Obi’s essay locates the West African region in the context of the post-9/11 discourse on terrorism and counter-terrorism. He identifies the issues and challenges that flow from the integration of West Africa into hegemonic transnational and globalised security arrangements. Emerging militaristic states and the fight against terrorism seem to reinforce or – paradoxically – undermine regional and intra-national human and environmental security in one of Africa’s most troubled regions. Obi concludes that militarist and globally driven solutions may fail to address the historical, political and socio-economic roots of a possible terrorist threat in West Africa.

With similar conclusions in his essay, Dr Peter Kagwanja analyses terrorism trends in the Horn of Africa. While the US-led ‘war on terror’ dramatically changed America’s strategy towards Africa, it threw the Horn of Africa onto the centre stage of global counter-terrorism. Governments in the Horn have used the threat of terrorism for political ends, defending old security paradigms that prioritised regime stability over human security. The author examines the impact of counter-terrorism on security in the Horn of Africa. He argues for stronger coordination between national, regional and international initiatives to curb international terrorism.

Dr Jakkie Cilliers deals with the phenomenon of sub-state terrorism in Africa. He argues that incidents categorised as ‘transnational terrorism’ should be treated as insurgencies. He raises the issue of Somalia, where the Western response (‘War on Terror’) may further complicate the domestic situation. He cautions that great care should be exercised by African states in adopting either the language or the prescribed solutions to transnational terrorism given the limited ability to implement such measures.

In this issue of the ASR,the commentaries and book reviews also deal with the subject of terrorism. Be sure to look out for the commentaries by Professor Mwesiga Baregu, Robert Tynes and Mariam Bibi Jooma, which deal with some of the emerging debates in this context.

If this ASR can make a modest contribution towards bringing the emerging African discourse on terrorism to the attention of African policy- and decision-makers, then it will go a long way towards meeting our expectations. The editors hope that readers will find this issue informative and that it will spur on more debate and greater contact and interaction between those in Africa who have an interest in addressing and understanding terrorism. Even though terrorism will remain a contested and often divisive issue, it is in the interest of all of us that African academics and researchers increasingly interact with governments and colleagues from different parts of the continent and the world.

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