Why Africa needs to redraw its security sovereignty map and build coherence

Soldiers from Burkina Faso patrol on the road of Gorgadji in the Sahel area, Burkina Faso on March 3, 2019.

Photo credit: Reuters

The 2025 Global Terrorism Index released this week has confirmed what many African analysts, soldiers, and experts in general have long known: Africa’s war against terror is being waged without a map.

While global headlines have moved on, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa remain locked in a vicious cycle—governments weakened, jihadist groups emboldened, and foreign partners distracted or withdrawn.