Counter-terrorism, human rights and the rule of law in Africa

This research paper by Dr Jolyon Ford examines the institutional aspects of counter-terrorism strategies in Africa during the second decade following the 2001 9/11 attacks, focusing on the tension between countering threats and maintaining the rule of law and human rights.

• African authorities generally acknowledge that aggressive or 'blunt' state responses to terrorism can negatively impact long-term security, although this awareness does not always lead to the adoption of principled criminal justice methods.
• Terrorism has typically been addressed as an exceptional issue, separate from general development and rule of law programming. The author suggests that focusing on generic rule of law issues and improving the quality of laws and their enforcement is essential to protect civilians and prevent counter-productive outcomes in efforts to counter terrorism and radicalisation.
• The paper analyzes how specific regional events and threats influence counter-terrorism approaches, including the Arab Spring in North Africa, the crisis in Mali, militant Islamism in Nigeria, the fight against al-Shabaab in Somalia, and instability along the East African coast.

APA

Ford, J. (n.d.). Counter-terrorism, human rights and the rule of law in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/counter-terrorism-human-rights-and-the-rule-of-law-in-africa

Chicago

Ford, Jolyon. Counter-terrorism, human rights and the rule of law in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/counter-terrorism-human-rights-and-the-rule-of-law-in-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ford |first1=Jolyon |title=Counter-terrorism, human rights and the rule of law in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/counter-terrorism-human-rights-and-the-rule-of-law-in-africa |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fordndcounterterrorism, author = {Ford, Jolyon}, title = {{Counter-terrorism, human rights and the rule of law in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/counter-terrorism-human-rights-and-the-rule-of-law-in-africa}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }