By
Modou S. Joof
Dr. Abdullahi Shehu has said “most African
countries are incapable of dealing with the problems” associated with terrorism
in isolation due to many challenges confronting them.
The Director
General of the Inter-Governmental
Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA, said on 13
May, 2013 that the impact of terrorist acts which are manifested in various
dimensions is widespread.
In a paper addressing “Peace and Security in Africa: The Challenges of the Fight against Terrorism in the Context of Maintaining International Peace and Security“, he told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), “that the patterns and locations of these terrorist acts depend on the ideology, intents and capability of the perpetrators”.
While most terrorist activities have been driven by extremist and political motivations, Dr. Shehu says: “We are yet to see perhaps a devastating pattern if terrorist groups are driven by a feeling of deprivation, hunger, poverty and unemployment, and that may be even more difficult to control in a country.”
Close ranks
Speaking at the UNSC Open Debate on Combating Terrorism in Africa in the Context of Peacekeeping and International Security in New York, the GIABA Director General called on national, regional and international actors to close ranks in order to effectively fight the menace of terrorism in Africa.
He noted that the factors exacerbating terrorism include: “Political corruption, weaknesses in the legal framework and institutional mechanisms for the prevention of terrorists acts, inadequate skills and manpower for effective law enforcement, insufficient resources yet competing priorities, and inadequate inter-agency cooperation within countries and internationally.”
“Any strategic approach to the prevention and control of terrorism must also address the financing aspects of terrorism,” he said.
In a paper addressing “Peace and Security in Africa: The Challenges of the Fight against Terrorism in the Context of Maintaining International Peace and Security“, he told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), “that the patterns and locations of these terrorist acts depend on the ideology, intents and capability of the perpetrators”.
While most terrorist activities have been driven by extremist and political motivations, Dr. Shehu says: “We are yet to see perhaps a devastating pattern if terrorist groups are driven by a feeling of deprivation, hunger, poverty and unemployment, and that may be even more difficult to control in a country.”
Close ranks
Speaking at the UNSC Open Debate on Combating Terrorism in Africa in the Context of Peacekeeping and International Security in New York, the GIABA Director General called on national, regional and international actors to close ranks in order to effectively fight the menace of terrorism in Africa.
He noted that the factors exacerbating terrorism include: “Political corruption, weaknesses in the legal framework and institutional mechanisms for the prevention of terrorists acts, inadequate skills and manpower for effective law enforcement, insufficient resources yet competing priorities, and inadequate inter-agency cooperation within countries and internationally.”
“Any strategic approach to the prevention and control of terrorism must also address the financing aspects of terrorism,” he said.
