African countries face numerous security challenges, ranging from terrorism and violent extremism to piracy and transnational organized crime. In the face of these security uncertainties, African defence cooperation has become a critical need to effectively address these challenges.
This report explores how African countries can advance their defence cooperation efforts to enhance their collective security in the face of global security uncertainties.
The report highlights the importance of regional and continental cooperation, identifies key challenges and opportunities, and provides recommendations to strengthen African defence cooperation.
Regional and Continental Cooperation:
Regional and continental cooperation is crucial for advancing African defence cooperation. Africa has several regional and continental organizations, such as the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC), among others, that provide
frameworks for promoting security cooperation among member states.
These organizations have made significant efforts to foster regional and continental security cooperation through
various mechanisms, including joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, and mutual assistance pacts. For example, the African Union’s African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) is a comprehensive framework that encompasses conflict prevention, management, and resolution.
APSA includes the African Standby Force (ASF), a regional force that is meant to be rapidly deployable to address crises in Africa.
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