COMMUNIQUÉ

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1354^th meeting held at Ministerial Level on 21 July 2026 on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Africa.

The Peace and Security Council,

 Recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, particularly Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1297.2 (2025)] adopted at its 1297^th Meeting, held on 15 August 2025; Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1266 (2025)] adopted at its 1266^th meeting held on 19 March 2025; and Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1237 (2024)] adopted at its 1237^th meeting held on 23 October 2024;

Noting the opening remarks by Honourable Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) for July 2026; the briefing by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and the Statement by the Representative of the United Nations (UN); and

Acting Under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:

 

1.  Expresses deep concern over the ever-increasing challenges posed by terrorist groups which continue to expand their operational reach and capabilities across the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region and parts of Southern Africa;

2.  Also expresses concern regarding the growing sophistication and adaptability of terrorist operations, including the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), coordinated assaults on military installations, targeted attacks against urban centres and critical infrastructure, and the exploitation of emerging digital technologies for propaganda, recruitment, and operational planning; and underlines the need for investments by Member States, with the support of Partners, in counter IED technologies and the provision of enhanced training tools, and development of joint Task Forces dedicated to combating the use by terrorist groups of advanced technologies, including drones;

3. Further expresses concern over the increasing convergence between terrorism and transnational organized crime, including the illicit trafficking of arms, drugs, persons, and natural resources, as well as Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), which provide terrorist groups with sustainable funding and logistical support; and calls for the strengthening of international cooperation to effectively address these concerns, including through taking appropriate measures to ensure that their respective territories are not used by terrorists for the preparation, financing or organization of terrorist acts intended to be committed against other Member States or their citizens; and encourages Member States to hold accountable perpetrators of these crimes;

4. Condemns in the strongest terms all terrorist attacks perpetrated across the Continent, particularly in the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region (eastern DRC) and northern Mozambique, which have resulted in devastating consequences, including the loss of civilian lives, especially of women and children, the destruction of critical infrastructure, the disruption of livelihoods, and mass population displacements that create severe humanitarian crises; and underscores the critical importance of enhanced coordination and collaboration among AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities, and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), alongside international partners, to effectively implement sustainable preventive and counter-terrorism initiatives;

5. Refers to the Decision [Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.(XVI)] adopted at the 16^th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 28 May 2022, which called for a comprehensive and updated strategic approach to address terrorism and violent extremism in Africa and in this context, Adopts the African Union Continental Strategic Plan of Action on Countering Terrorism in Africa (2026-2030) in order to strengthen Africa's capacity to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism, while noting that the financing of the activities envisaged under the Action Plan will follow the due process through the relevant AU Policy Organs; urges the AU Commission to widely disseminate the Strategic Plan of Action to ensure national ownership, and further calls upon AU Member States, RECs/RMs and all relevant stakeholders to ensure its full implementation including through the development of national and regional implementation plans supported by monitoring and evaluation mechanisms;

6. Emphasizes the important role of deradicalization as a preventive strategy in combating terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, while drawing on best practices and lessons learned across African countries; in this regard, welcomes the steps taken to incorporate the fight against radicalization and violent extremist ideologies into the AU Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism and Violent Extremism, in line with PSC Communiqué PSC/PR/COMM.1266 (2025);

7. Reaffirms the importance of a multidimensional whole of government and whole of society approach particularly on the role of women and youth, as agents of change, in the prevention of, and fight against terrorism and violent extremism  across the continent; and invites Member States to formulate targeted strategies aimed at preventing radicalization and recruitment, particularly among youth, women, and vulnerable communities, by expanding access to education, establishing deliberate socio-economic empowerment programmes, community engagement, and counter-narrative strategic communications;

8.Underscores the urgent need for Member States to make more concerted and coordinated efforts to effectively deprive terrorists and their organization of all sources of funding including payment of ransom, illicit trafficking of arms, drugs, persons and natural resources, as well as any form of military, logistical or political support;

9. Calls for the need to strengthen the Continental Early Warning System by integrating specific indicators on radicalization and violent extremism to enable early detection and timely intervention; in this context, urges Member States and RECs/RMs to develop, update, and harmonize national and regional counter-terrorism strategies through a comprehensive approach that pairs robust security responses with measures addressing the root causes and drivers of violent extremism; including establishment of platforms for regular inter-faith dialogue with a view to promoting mutual tolerance and respect among communities of different religious persuasions; and requests the AU Commission, through its the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre (AUCTC) to provide sustained technical support, guidance, and expertise to ensure effective implementation;

10.   Requests Member States to enhance bilateral, regional, continental and multilateral cooperation through institutionalized intelligence-sharing and information-exchange mechanisms to improve early warning systems, threat detection, and coordinated border management, as well as mutual legal assistance in investigation and prosecution of terrorists and police collaboration and extradition, while simultaneously strengthening national counter-terrorism legal frameworks, utilizing multi-hazard early warning systems and mobilizing necessary funding;

11. Encourages Member States, with the support of the AU Commission, to strengthen their enforcement capacities, including but not limited to, building strong and professional armies/ security forces equipped with the right ideology of non-sectarianism, Pan-Africanism and nationalism, in order to, inter-alia, protect and defend the integrity of the State and defeat terrorism, further urges the strengthening of cooperation through centres of excellence, notably in the areas of training, research, data analysis, as well as increased support for relevant AU mechanisms to enable the Continent to better anticipate and respond to ever-evolving terrorist threats;

12. Stresses the need for Member States to prioritize the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism including in countries not currently directly impacted by the scourge and to conduct comprehensive stakeholder mapping to actively integrate non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations into continental security frameworks, with a view to their regulation;

13. Appeals to the private sector, particularly financial institutions and technology companies, to cooperate with Member States in monitoring and disrupting the misuse of digital platforms for terrorist recruitment, propaganda, financing, and operational coordination; and in line with Decision Assembly/AU/Dec978(XXXIX) of February 2026, calls upon the AU Commission to develop a continental framework on countering the terrorist use of emerging technologies, including drones, encrypted platforms, and digital finance, building on the Algeria Guiding Principles and ensuring alignment with international standards;

14. Urges international partners to support the counterterrorism efforts of AU Member States by taking appropriate measures to ensure that arms and ammunitions produced in their territories are not sold to non-State actors and illegal armed groups;

15. Emphasizes the critical need to enhance cybersecurity measures across the continent; commends the AUCTC for institutionalizing the Continental Cybersecurity Capability Program to protect information communication technologies (ICTs) from terrorist exploitation; and directs the AU Commission to fully support the continental scaling of this initiative;

16. Requests the AU Commission to develop continental guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in the prevention of, and fight against terrorism, including for predictive analysis, early warning and the detection of extremist content;

17. Underscores the crucial role of the media in educating the public on the dangers of radicalization, and urges media outlets to practice responsible reporting, counter extremist propaganda, and promote a culture of peace, tolerance, unity, and coexistence;

18. Strongly rejects external interference in domestic affairs of Africa, and calls upon all external actors to cease support to terrorist groups in the continent;

19. Calls upon Member States and RECs/RMs to fully implement all counter-terrorism measures in strict compliance with international law, including International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL), and international refugee law;

20. Commends the AU Champion on Counterterrorism and violent extremism, H.E. Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, for his steadfast leadership in advancing the AU agenda of combating terrorism and violent extremism;

21. Welcomes the operationalisation of the PSC Subcommittee on Counter Terrorism and directs the AU Commission to support the Subcommittee to ensure the successful implementation of its mandate in countering terrorism and violent extremism on the continent;

22. Commends the collaborative efforts of the AUCTC and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) for their continental field research on the sources, channels, enablers, and local collaborators of terrorism financing in Africa, in line with Assembly Decision Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.(XVI); and requests the AU Commission to provide the necessary support to finalize this report for urgent submission and adoption by the Council;

23. Requests the AU Commission to urgently finalize the African Arrest Warrant and the AU Data Bank of terrorist groups and individuals supporting or facilitating the activities of terrorist groups/ organizations in order to further enhance judicial cooperation, cut terrorist lifelines and deny safe havens to terrorist actors who exploit jurisdictional gaps across borders;

24. Expresses grave concern on the downturn in international cooperation including withdrawal of  technical and financial support to peace support operations in Africa attributed to the shift in national policies and escalating geopolitical fragmentation; urges the international community to revamp support for the implementation of the objectives of the United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, including the urgent implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2719 (2023) on AU-led Peace Support Operations; and pays tribute to the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and violent extremism on the continent;

25. Requests the AU Commission, through the AUCTC, to continue monitoring the evolving terrorism trends and dynamics across the continent and to provide regular briefing reports to the PSC, while ensuring coherence, complementarity, and effectiveness between AU institutions and RECs/RMs;

26. In accordance with Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.978(XXXIX) of February 2026, reiterates the call for the AUCTC to prioritize the drafting of the revised AUCTC Statute and Structure for adoption by the policy organ to consolidate the Centre’s mandate, staffing, and resources, enabling it to function effectively as the AU’s continental centre of excellence for counter-terrorism analysis, coordination, and capacity-building, following the due process;

27.Reaffirms the continued relevance of the AU normative and policy frameworks for preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism, and reiterates its call on Member States, that have not yet done so, to sign and ratify, without further delay, AU instruments relating to preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism, including the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism and the Protocol to the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating Terrorism;

28. Calls for the preparation of concrete recommendations for inclusion in the Secretary-General's forthcoming report on AU–UN cooperation in countering terrorism, in order to fully reflect the experiences, priorities and aspirations of AU Member States; and

29. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS