combat terrorism and ensure regional security and stability, the militaries of Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya receiving more attention in this regard than other countries in the region (Shinn 2004: 41; Quaranto 2008: 38). As a reflection of the same US policy shift, the CJTF- HOA has initiated some human security involvement in the region that focuses on certain peculiar problems facing the people. They have delved into water provision (drilling wells), medical care and renovation of medical and educational infrastructure (Hill 2006: 634; Pope 2004: i.d; Quaranto 2008: 39; www.globalsecurity.org). This fits into the battle for the
“hearts and minds” (International Crisis Group 2005b: 11) of the population in the region.
This new policy thrust tends to have acknowledged that certain discomforting human security conditions prevailing in weak and collapsed states tend to “create an environment more conducive for terrorism” (Pope 2004: i.d). The establishment of the African Command (AFRICOM) in 2007 falls under a wider securitization of Africa and is still unfolding.
against terrorism. The outcome of this Conference was the “Draft Implementation Plan to Counter Terrorism in the IGAD Region” which was approved and adopted at the 10th IGAD Summit on October 24, 2003 (Institute for Security Studies 2003: i.d). The issues addressed by this document, according to the Institute for Security Studies (2003), include that of
enhancing operational capacity to control illegal cross border movement;
enhancing operational capacity to record and share information; measures to ensure the protection of human rights during counterterrorism operations;
and education programmes to enhance public support.
The meeting of Ministers of Justice of the IGAD member states in Kampala on September 20-21, 2007 on the theme “Legal Cooperation against Terrorism” evaluated the implementation of the various aspects of the Counterterrorism Plan and the activities of the IGAD Capacity Building Programme against Terrorism (ICPAT) (http://www.igad.org).
ICPAT, with headquarters in Addis Ababa, was launched on 14 June 2006 as a four-year programme. Its objectives included: the enhancement of judicial measures among member states; the optimization of interdepartmental cooperation; the improvement of border security;
general capacity-building by training of security forces; information sharing; and the promotion of strategic cooperation among the security and intelligence operatives of member states (IGAD 2006: i.d). ICPAT has been playing an important role in individual member states and regionally in IGAD‟s modest counterterrorism initiatives. The publication of the Compendium of International and Regional Legal Instruments Related to the Prevention and Suppression of International Terrorism by ICPAT, with technical assistance from the Institute for Security Studies, is seen as an important contribution. The publication dwelt on familiarizing both the judicial and legislative authorities of all the member states with various international antiterrorism initiatives. Held in Addis Ababa on 4-5 March 2008, it specially emphasized the need to lay the foundation for concerted combat against terrorism, by
“ensuring that the relevant international and regional conventions and protocols are signed, ratified and implemented in the IGAD region” (Institute for Security Studies: i. d).
ICPAT, in conjunction with the East African Police Chiefs Coordination Organization (EAPCCO), developed a training programme on counterterrorism for selected law enforcement officers in the member states. This four-week programme covers courses in terrorism, migration and transnational crime, international conventions, community policing, mutual legal assistance, crisis management, border security management, terrorist financing and money laundering, crime scene management, respect for human rights, alternate
strategies to resist terrorism and the role of INTERPOL. Interestingly, Somali police officers began their four weeks training on October 30, 2007 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This is an important development. It suggests an acceptance that Somalia is not irredeemable and shows that efforts are being made by the IGAD and the TFG of Somalia to address the problems within Somalia. Ethiopia, Uganda and Sudan have all had the same course for their law enforcement officers, the latest being Ethiopia, beginning on 1 August 2008 and others are to follow (IGAD 2006: i.d). That the ICPAT programmes have attracted foreign donor and partnering organizations shows the extent of the confidence it commands. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark funded a two-day conference on “Implementing the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in East Africa – Building National Capacities”, organized by ICPAT in collaboration with the Centre on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation in Addis Ababa on 4-5 March 2008. The conference, which had in attendance all the ministries and parastatals security stakeholders in all the IGAD member states, was geared towards forging an understanding among member states, relevant multilateral bodies and all stakeholders in the region in the implementation of the UN Counterterrorism Strategy by strengthening
“cooperative counterterrorism” initiatives in the region. The conference also targeted identifying the needs of individual member states for more counterterrorism efficiency to guide its drive to “secure tangible and relevant international support for this important task of assuring security in the region” (Centre on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation 2008: 1).
The IGAD counterterrorism efforts have been regionally focused, but also without specific attention to any particular territory such as Somalia. IGAD involvement in Somalia has been more on the issue of conflict resolution. This can be understood in the light of the divergent views of some of the member states. Ethiopia and Sudan, for example, view the issue of terrorism differently and so differ on solutions to terrorism, especially where it concerns the involvement of the US. Through its efforts at capacity building, IGAD has not only made an invaluable contribution to counterterrorism in the region but also has the potential to produce an integrated counterterrorism mantle in the region, given consistence and commitment by all the member states.