African leaders call for intelligence sharing to safeguard infrastructure and public spaces….reports Africa Daily News Desk
African leaders and counter-terrorism experts have called for stronger protection of critical infrastructure and public spaces, warning that terrorist threats to strategic assets could undermine the continent’s development, social cohesion and economic growth.
The issue took centre stage at the fifth Nairobi Caucus meeting in Kenya, where delegates highlighted the growing vulnerability of roads, bridges, airports, ports and digital infrastructure as armed groups intensify attacks across parts of Africa.
The two-day forum, convened by Kenya’s National Counter Terrorism Centre and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, is being held under the theme, “Protecting Critical Infrastructure Systems and Public Spaces from Terrorism.”
Senior policymakers, security experts, development partners, scholars and civil society representatives gathered to discuss new strategies for preventing terrorist attacks on public infrastructure, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, said Africa had become the global epicentre of terrorism, with infrastructure vital to local economies and livelihoods increasingly coming under threat.
“In 2026, the continent of Africa has suffered major terrorist attacks, including targeting critical infrastructure,” Mudavadi said, adding that six of the 10 countries most affected by terrorism are located in sub-Saharan Africa.
He called on governments across the region to improve intelligence sharing, adopt international best practices and implement security reforms to protect essential facilities, including power installations, railways, dams, healthcare centres and sports venues.
Steven Siqueira, Deputy Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre, stressed that protecting critical infrastructure was essential for sustaining economies, connecting communities and ensuring the delivery of public services.
He said the UN agency was working with the African Union, regional governments and private-sector partners to counter emerging threats through technology, capacity building, public awareness campaigns and greater collaboration among stakeholders.
Kenya’s National Counter Terrorism Centre Director General Kibiego Kigen said the Nairobi Caucus offered African countries an opportunity to develop locally driven solutions to identify and prevent attacks targeting infrastructure.
He advocated integrated early warning systems, improved intelligence sharing and predictive vulnerability mapping, alongside stronger rapid-response capabilities and more resilient infrastructure design.
Launched in 2022, the Nairobi Caucus is an annual consultative forum bringing together regional organisations and international partners to address security challenges and exchange counter-terrorism practices across East Africa and the Horn of Africa.
