HSRC / Ambassadorial Forum invitation
PRESENTED BY THE AFRICA INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA (AISA), A PROGRAMME OF THE HUMAN SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL (HSRC)
Global and African approaches to Counter-terrorism
Speaker: Her Excellency Ambassador Ms Jean Njeri Kamau
High Commissioner of the Republic of Kenya
Date: 17 February 2016
Time: 13:00 – 15:00
Venue: HSRC Video Conference Rooms (VCRs) in Pretoria,
Cape Town or Durban
Terrorism and violent extremism are a growing threat on the already fragile peace and security situation on the African continent. Al-Shabaab, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, ISIS, and Boko Haram have established a presence and expanded their activities across borders.
Numerous terrorist incidents have captured headlines in Africa, notable among them the deadly al-Shabaab attacks in Kenya on Westgate Mall, Garissa University and various other attacks in Mpeketoni, Eastleigh, Mandera and the recent enmasse attacks and killings of Kenyan Soldiers in Somalia. Boko Haram has also continuously massacred thousands of people in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad for the last couple of years, including the latest attack that killed more than eighty people. Hotel and resort sieges in Tunisia, Mali, and recently Burkina Faso, add to the ferocity of these attacks. Numerous suicide bombings in Somalia, Libya and Egypt, including the downing of the Russian airliner in Sharm el-Sheikh, prove normal counter-terror strategies need a revamp.
Kenya and Nigeria, each of which has faced numerous terrorist attacks, have both been elected for a three-year term on the African Union Peace and Security Council, bringing hopes for engaged and comprehensive responses. This presentation will respond to the above issues by discussing perceived and real causes and drivers of radicalisation and terrorism in Africa and globally, the impact of global terror networks on Africa, emerging policy and strategy for counterterrorism and counter-insurgency, the effect of global and domestic terrorism on development and liberty, the social and economic cost of terrorism and related countermeasures, and the place of justice and human rights in combating terrorism.
Kindly RSVP 15 February 2016 to Sam Lekala at slekala@hsrc.ac.za; Tel: 012 316 9753; Cell: 082 328 1464