Beyond the 'War on Terror"

Terrorist activity constitutes a major generational threat to peace and security in Africa, and is a major distraction from other pressing development issues. In 2009, as a new United States administration signals, at one level, a departure from the 'war on terror,' what opportunities exist to examine and re-evaluate terrorism prevention strategies on the continent? While a criminal justice-based approach to preventing and combating terrorism is at the heart of the global institutional response, what level of uptake and implementation has there been in African countries? Are we entering a new era of counter-terrorism on the continent?