Theme: AN INTEGRATED TERRITORIAL DEFENCE AND BORDER SECURITY STRATEGY: ADDRESSING EMERGENT THREATS AND BORDER SECURITY CHALLENGES IN AN INTEGRATED AFRICA

The Forum on Defence, Homeland & Border Security in Africa, London – United Kingdom 2020 is designed as an educational and training forum, where leaders across the region’s Armed Forces, Police and Homeland Security, Customs and Immigration, Anti-Narcotics, and related-government agencies, as well as Academia will come together to strengthen regional partnerships and engage in actionable discussions and debate on the different strategies to combat Africa’s security challenges and border threats such as illegal immigration, human and drug trafficking, smuggling and poaching, terrorism and banditry.

In an integrated Africa, countries are increasingly facing the daunting tasks of managing fluid unmanned borders in ways that secures their territorial sovereingty and integrity, as well as ensures that  there are bridges rather than barriers for cross-border cooperation and regional integration.

Borders have become a major theatre of conflict in Africa over the years, particularly in recent times. Porous borders are common in the region, resulting in cross border crimes and instability. Terrorism gained fertile ground to flourish in Africa with Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, Algeria, Central Africa, Mali, Cameroun, Chad, Niger, Libya and Tunisia as theatres of some of the bloodiest terrorist actions that the continent has ever seen – largely due to the movements of mercenaries and foreign fighters, illegally, across borders. Some other African Nations are busy grappling with other degrees of violent crimes, civil unrest and border attacks. Therefore, a high level of porosity at the border makes countries easily penetrable by smugglers of drugs, weapons and contrabands, terrorism and banditry. Security, a paramount aspect at the border, requires protective measures to combat any activity that can endanger lives and property, or put the integrity of a country into question.

In light of this, the African Leadership UK Limited invites stakeholders to the Forum on Defence, Homeland & Border Security in Africa, London – United Kingdom 2020, with focus on: An Integrated Territorial Defence and Border Security Strategy: Addressing Emergent Threats and Border Security Challenges in Africa. Please download the brochure for more information.