Theme 1: Theorizing regional securitization

Intellectual activities around regional security can be traced back to the late 19th century.

The studies on regional security have contributed to the dynamic nature of the term region.

During the cold war, regional security was determined by the position a state took in the strategy

of either the United States or that of the Soviet Union. Currently, regional security is determined

by the relevance of geographic boundaries. The rise in the prominence of regional security

resulting from the interaction between states has led to official international organizations that

have different complexity, strength, and scope. Scholars studying regional security focus on

three primary questions which are: "Is the Euro Atlantic form of security governance

transferrable to other regions of the world? What is the nature of the interaction between the

regional and international systems of order? What variables contribute to regional (in)stability

and (dis)order?"1. The scholarship status on regionalism is somewhat developed. Scholars have

come up with generalizations that explain the state of both global and regional securities.

Scholars have expounded on the response of regional terrorism for the past few decades.

Various theories have been formulated to counter check terrorism. In his approach "Balance of

Threats"2, Stephen Walt argues that the behavior of the alliance of states is determined by the

threat they discern from other countries. Therefore, states typically ally to balance upon

identifying a threat. Weaker states have a likelihood of following the threat to protect their

boundaries. For instance, during World War II, nations with great power allied against the main

1
Kirchner, Emil J., and James Sperling, eds. National security cultures: patterns of global governance. Routledge,
2010.

2
Walt, Stephen M. "Alliance formation and the balance of world power." International security 9, no. 4 (1985): 3-
43.
recognized threat, Germany. Upon identifying a threat, states evaluate the source of the threat

using four criteria which are strength, geographic position, offensive intentions, and offensive

capabilities. On the strength criteria, evaluation focuses on the size, population, and the

economic level of the threatening organization while on the geographic proximity it focuses on

the actual location and accessibility of the threat. When a state possesses much of the four

criteria, the allies are more likely to consider such a state as a threat and work on balancing

against it.

Besides the "Balance of Threats," the theory of "Balance of Power" outline a response to

a threat. "Balance of Power" is an international relations theory that emphasizes that the state's

security is improved by the distribution of military capability to other countries ensuring that no

single state is strong enough to dominate the other states3. In the occurrence of a stronger nation

than the others, the theory states that such a state will take advantage of its strength to attack its

weaker neighbors. Therefore, an equilibrium of power between the rival coalitions is required to

maintain a stable security state.

Some scholars proclaim that security is abundant in some geographic positions. Buzan &

Waever4 contend that security issues do not cover long distances fairly which results in threats

occurring in many regions. The security of each state in a particular region interacts with the

safety of other nations. The interaction leads to massive interdependence within an area but not

between regions. The Regional Security Complex Theory thus argues that the buffer states may

3
Sheehan, Michael. The Balance of Power: History & Theory. Routledge, 2004.
4
Buzan, Barry, Barry G. Buzan, Ole Waever, Ole W'ver, Ole Waever Barry Buzan, and Ole Waever. Regions and
powers: the structure of international security. Vol. 91. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
at times isolate region leading to security threats, for example, Afghanistan's location in the

South Asia and Middle East5.

Regional security theories have proved to be of significance since the occurrence of the

cold war. The world’s safety system consists of many partakers that are less Eurocentric. The

third world states also have a more significant autonomy and involvement in the world security

system. Regional security concerns have led to the shift of conflicts' locus from the global level.

Regionalist is the current trend of security that has arisen in the response of the worldwide

transformation. Kelly6 notes that regionalism has renewed for the past 15 years. According to

Kelly, international relations ties itself around regional level autonomy analysis of the state and

the world. He, therefore, confirms the porosity of regional subsystems, the nature of local

dynamics being overlaid by interventions (a majority of the states threaten their neighbors

thereby making significant diverse dynamics in the regions), and that weak states generate an

internal safety quandary that overcomes the peripheral one. Regional and national security are

subjects to complications. In Security Theory in the "New Regionalism"7, Kelly outlines three

variables that lead to regional and national security complications. The three variables are

openness, proximity, and weak states.

Theme 2: Securitizing Terrorism by the African Union

5
Buzan, Barry, Barry G. Buzan, Ole Waever, Ole W'ver, Ole Waever Barry Buzan, and Ole Waever. Regions and
powers: the structure of international security. Vol. 91. Cambridge University Press, 2003.

6
Kelly, Robert E. "Security Theory in the “New Regionalism” 1." International Studies Review 9, no. 2 (2007): 197-
229.

7
Kelly, Robert E. "Security Theory in the “New Regionalism” 1." International Studies Review 9, no. 2 (2007): 197-
229.
 Among the wicked problems of the 21st century is terrorism. The advancement in

technology has provided terror organizations with the opportunity to access knowledge and

technical resources that were previously difficult to obtain. The ability to access and use these

advanced technologies has given terrorists the power to take their actions across borders.

Therefore, terrorist threats are not only a national concern but also an international concern.

The African Union (AU) has been at the forefront of fighting terrorism in Africa. Since

1999, the organization has had a legal structure to combat terrorism. However, it was in 2010

when the policy was implemented significantly after the Assembly underscored the "need for

renewed efforts and increased mobilization to combat the scourge of terrorism."8. In 2013, AU

appointed an experts' panel that would propose and evaluate the efficiency of the African

Standby Force. However, the committee failed due to "the unpredictability of pledges made by

member states."

The member states of AU signed the “Declaration on the Code of Conduct for Inter-

African Relations” that condemned all kinds of terrorism. The declaration also enhanced

cooperation in combatting terrorism. "The Convention on the Prevention and Combatting of

Terrorism" was implemented in December 2002 and it enhances cooperation between member

states in fighting terrorism. The convention recognizes the rise in terrorism threat and the

connection between the illegal arm's trade, terrorism, drug trafficking, and transnational

organized crime9. Measures in police and border control have been laid down to enhance the

8
Europafrica.net. AU Appoints Special Representative in charge of Counter-Terrorism Cooperation,
2010.[Online]Available at: http://europafrica.net/2010/10/08/au-appoints-special-representative-in-charge-of-
counter-terrorism-cooperation/.

9
Strydom, H.The African Union Lacks a Coherent Plan to Fight Terrorism, 2015.[Online]Available at:
http://theconversation.com/the-african-union-lacks-a-coherent-plan-to-fight-terrorism-41394.
implementation of the obligations of The AU's convention. The measures of the assembly also

include practical judicial and legislative proposals that counter-terrorist funding and security

challenges. An African Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism was formed in 2004 to

improve the process of information centralization, research on terrorism, and development of

capacity building programs.

In 2010, an AU Special Representative for Counter-Terrorism Cooperation was

appointed. The representative duty is to necessitate on-the-ground assistance to member nations.

The representative also has the task of mobilizing countries to fight terrorism, assess the security

state of the member states and collaborate with national authorities to address the most pressing

security concerns. The African Model Law on Terrorism formulated and validated in 2011

further assists the member nations in executing legal provisions on counter-terrorism10. The

Constitutive Act states on article 4 that the AU is obligated to intervene using military action in a

state in the occurrence of a state incapability or reluctance to safeguard its people when there is a

massive violation of human rights. Therefore, article 4 of the Constitutive Act addresses the

issues which are at times associated with terrorism and discusses the responsibility of AU to

protect the member states11.

Theme 3: Challenges

According to Kelly12, three variables complicate regional security. One of those variables

is openness. Pesky great powers have proved that they can penetrate regions from above.

10
Strydom, H.The African Union Lacks a Coherent Plan to Fight Terrorism, 2015.[Online]Available at:
http://theconversation.com/the-african-union-lacks-a-coherent-plan-to-fight-terrorism-41394.
11
Strydom, H.The African Union Lacks a Coherent Plan to Fight Terrorism, 2015.[Online]Available at:
http://theconversation.com/the-african-union-lacks-a-coherent-plan-to-fight-terrorism-41394.

12
Kelly, Robert E. "Security Theory in the “New Regionalism” 1." International Studies Review 9, no. 2 (2007): 197-
229.
Intrusion from above is quite common and overexploited due to regional autonomy. Beside

openness is proximity. Kelly13 argues that new regionalists often lack adequate interaction in

their newfound regions. The security literature of the new territory can be written off by theorists

due to issues of scholasticism. New regions are thus unreliably operational.

Weak states pushbacks are successful but amending of regional security theories in such

states is difficult. The weakness of states makes support for integration inaccurate. Majority of

the weak states turn their security dilemma inwards which attributes to their complicated state in

regional security.

The action of regional civil societies in eradicating society is beneficent. However,

various factors hinder their functionality. For instance, political space may act against the work

of civil society. Civil societies, especially in third world countries may lack adequate funds and

the expertise to engage in counterterrorism issues. Howell & Lind14 state that civil organizations

lack the freedom of engagement due to inadequate political space and restrictive measures.

Typically, the functionality of any civil society depends on the standards of freedom of

association, funding, and freedom of information among other liberties, which are provided by

the state.

Most regional societies depend on aid and funding for security purposes from the

member states. The current focus on countering terrorism call for more funding. The approach of

funding these societies may crash with the need for mitigating poverty amongst the member

13
Kelly, Robert E. "Security Theory in the “New Regionalism” 1." International Studies Review 9, no. 2 (2007): 197-
229.

14
Howell, Jude, and Jeremy Lind. Civil society under strain: Counter-terrorism policy, civil society and aid post-9/11.
Kumarian Press, 2009.
states. Therefore, civil organizations may create ice between the regional security and

development within the individual member countries especially the less developed member

states15. When a substantive amount of financial support is channeled to military institutions and

operations, the community may be at risk of poverty or hunger. In situations where the security

institutions receive foreign assistance, the police forces may be unaccountable and highly

repressive. For example, in Pakistan the police forces are unaccountable (Howell & Lind,

2009)16. Therefore, aid provided to civil societies' security organs may overlook the needs of

marginalized communities.

Conclusion

The new regional security literature is comprehensive and incomparable to any other

literature. The future of regional security is open to a reshaped research enterprise. From

positivists looking forward to building international relations theory to critical theorists seeking

to solve regional threats, the field of regional security is bound to a lot of changes. However,

critical theorists' work focuses on ends rather than process due to their excessive interest in

European issues. The regional theory might be the future of security due to its focus on order

rather than explaining war.

15
Howell, Jude, and Jeremy Lind. Civil society under strain: Counter-terrorism policy, civil society and aid post-9/11.
Kumarian Press, 2009.

16
Howell, Jude, and Jeremy Lind. Civil society under strain: Counter-terrorism policy, civil society and aid post-9/11.
Kumarian Press, 2009.
Reference

Buzan, Barry, Barry G. Buzan, Ole Waever, Ole W'ver, Ole Waever Barry Buzan, and Ole

Waever. Regions and powers: the structure of international security. Vol. 91. Cambridge

University Press, 2003.

Europafrica.net. AU Appoints Special Representative in charge of Counter-Terrorism

Cooperation, 2010.[Online]Available at: http://europafrica.net/2010/10/08/au-appoints-

special-representative-in-charge-of-counter-terrorism-cooperation/.

Howell, Jude, and Jeremy Lind. Civil society under strain: Counter-terrorism policy, civil

society and aid post-9/11. Kumarian Press, 2009.

Kelly, Robert E. "Security Theory in the “New Regionalism” 1." International Studies Review 9,

no. 2 (2007): 197-229.

Kirchner, Emil J., and James Sperling, eds. National security cultures: patterns of global

governance. Routledge, 2010.

Sheehan, Michael. The Balance of Power: History & Theory. Routledge, 2004.

Strydom, H.The African Union Lacks a Coherent Plan to Fight Terrorism,

2015.[Online]Available at: http://theconversation.com/the-african-union-lacks-a-

coherent-plan-to-fight-terrorism-41394.

Walt, Stephen M. "Alliance formation and the balance of world power." International security 9,

no. 4 (1985): 3-43.