Building Partnership to Prevent the Spread of Terrorism in Africa

Teitelbaum thoroughly explains the violence in Africa and how the terrorists are easily able to get away with it. “Violent extremist groups mobilize recruits and launch attacks through African countries by exploiting weak governance, inadequate service delivery, poor security capacity, economic dislocation, and large ungoverned spaces in West and East Africa.” Terrorist organizations manipulate and take advantage of these defects to easily enforce violence and disruption. In his presentation, Teitelbaum goes into specific terrorist organization groups and how they affect Africa. The US has strong relations with most African Countries and the strategy toward a more peaceful Africa includes strengthening democratic institutions, improving governance, and protecting human rights. Teitelbaum believes that helping Africa with its war om terrorism will in turn support political, economic, and social reforms which are the underlying sources of violence in Africa. To further his explanation, he dives into the Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism and how it has helped Africa and will continue to secure it.