Seminar Report: Understanding Terrorism In Africa: Building Bridges and Overcoming Gaps

This report details a seminar titled "Understanding Terrorism in Africa: Building Bridges and Overcoming Gaps," held on 19-20 May 2007 at the University of Cairo, Egypt. Organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Terrorism Studies and Research Program at the University of Cairo, with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the event aimed to address gaps in counter-terrorism efforts and foster partnerships between North and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as between Africa and the West.

• The seminar was designed to address specific gaps in the understanding and combatting of terrorism, including definitions of terrorism (specifically regarding separatist movements, liberation movements, and religion), the roots of terrorism, strategies for combatting it across legislative, judicial, security, and political dimensions, and the impacts of the "War on Terrorism" on culture, politics, and economics.
• The ISS has worked to establish an "African Voice" in the global debate on terrorism, noting that the continent has been largely excluded despite a long history of domestic terrorism. This effort led to the creation of the African Research Network on Terrorism and Counter Terrorism (ARNTACT), which participants suggested should be revitalized by redefining its mandate and expanding its stakeholders.
• The seminar established a roadmap for future events, including a session in Abuja, Nigeria, on 20-21 August 2007 focusing on domestic terrorism, and another in Nairobi, Kenya, on 29-30 October 2007 to critically assess counter-terrorism strategies and the influence of Africa in developing international strategies.
• The event highlighted that domestic terrorism in Africa poses a threat to human security equal to that of trans-national terrorism, citing devastating social, political, and economic consequences in areas such as the Niger Delta, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Northern Uganda.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2007). Seminar Report: Understanding Terrorism In Africa: Building Bridges and Overcoming Gaps. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CAIROTERROREP.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Seminar Report: Understanding Terrorism In Africa: Building Bridges and Overcoming Gaps. 2007. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CAIROTERROREP.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Seminar Report: Understanding Terrorism In Africa: Building Bridges and Overcoming Gaps |date=2007 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CAIROTERROREP.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2007seminar, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Seminar Report: Understanding Terrorism In Africa: Building Bridges and Overcoming Gaps}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2007}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CAIROTERROREP.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }