President Tebboune: “Alarming Expansion Of Terrorism Scourge In Africa Threatens The Existence Of States”

President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, warned of the danger of the alarming expansion of terrorism scourge in Africa, which has begun to threaten the existence and stability of states, calling for effective action to combat this nefarious phenomenon.

This came out in a speech to participants in the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on the prevention and resolution of conflicts in Africa, held Sunday in the Angolan capital Luanda, delivered on his behalf by the President of the Council of the Nation, Mr. Azzouz Nasseri.

President Tebboune, in his capacity as the African Union Champion for the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, expressed at the beginning of his speech “sincere thanks and gratitude” to Angola for organizing this extraordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on strengthening conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms in Africa, and for its tireless efforts in supporting joint African action in the fight against terrorism.

President Tebboune pointed out that with the aggravation of the terrorist threat and its geographical expansion in Africa, especially the Sahel region, “our conviction is rooted that addressing the phenomenon of terrorism should remain at the top of the priorities of joint African action.”

He also warned that “the alarming expansion of the heinous phenomenon of terrorism does not only threaten peace, security, and development” on the African continent, “but has begun to affect the existence of states, their institutions, and their stability.”

Consequently, there is an urgent need to “continue strengthening and coordinating continental efforts and to intensify, as a matter of urgency, collective action and the exchange of information and expertise with the participation of all African Union countries in order to effectively address this scourge and rid our continent of the evil of terrorism.”

President Tebboune added that “strengthening the operational capabilities of the African Union has become an urgent necessity to confront this dangerous development of the terrorist threat on our continent.”

He further expressed satisfaction with “the progress made in strengthening the African Union’s mechanisms for fighting terrorism and violent extremism,” specifically “the adoption by the African Union Peace and Security Council of the Comprehensive Continental Strategic Plan of Action for the African Union to fight terrorism in Africa, as well as the activation of the Peace and Security Council Subcommittee on Terrorism, which are two proposals submitted by Algeria in its capacity as the African Union Coordinator for the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in Africa.”

President Tebboune also emphasized, “Today, more than ever, we must support our continental institutions with appropriate means for effective action in the field of counter-terrorism, which requires bolstering coordination between the various bodies of the African Peace and Security Architecture, especially the African Standby Force and its regional components, including the North African Regional Capability, in the fight against the terrorism plague.”