A review of Mali’s counterterrorism approach in the light of African Union interventions

Abstract

ABSTRACT Terrorism is pervasive in Mali. The efforts by Mali to counter terrorism, however, have been inadequate. The lack of institutional capacity and the lack of a workable counterterrorism policy characterised by bad governance are identified as key inadequacies in the fight against terrorism in Mali. In view of these inadequacies, the article demonstrates the need for a continental approach to fight the threat of terrorism in Mali. But for the African Union (AU) to be effective in resolving the Malian impasse, its diplomatic, political, and military approaches have been discussed and critiqued. The article suggests the need to retool the security architecture of the AU – the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) – and particularly, to ensure the full operationalisation of the Common African Defence and Security Policy (CADSP) and the African Standby Force (ASF). Importantly, the AU must also have a counterterrorism fund dedicated to support the fight against terrorism in Mali and Africa as a whole.