This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
On July 10, 2019, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta launched a new initiative to combat terrorism and extremism in the country. Speaking at the opening of a counter-terrorism conference at the UN Headquarters in Nairobi, President Kenyatta outlined a decentralized approach to security, with County Action Plans tailored to the specific needs of each of the 47 counties.
The County Action Plans aim to bring together security sector actors, including enforcement agencies, administrators, civil society, and citizens, to prioritize collective counter-terrorism actions that are measurable and time-bound. This approach is part of a broader effort to reduce threats to the country and promote peace and stability.
President Kenyatta also announced plans to roll out similar programs for students, developed by the Ministry of Education, in the coming months. The goal of these programs is to protect children from multiple threats to their wellbeing that may make them vulnerable to radicalization.
The conference, dubbed the African Regional High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism and Prevention of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism, was attended by thousands of participants from across Africa. The event also featured addresses from United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.
President Kenyatta called on other African countries to develop strategies to curb violent extremism and counter cross-border threats, emphasizing that terrorism is a pan-African challenge. He also urged the African Union to generate a powerful political consensus for confronting and defeating terrorism.
