Violent extremist groups continue to threaten peace and stability across Africa, and the United States is committed to helping nations there confront the danger.In the Sahel, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb joined mercenaries from Libya to exploit a Tuareg rebellion, overrunning much of northern Mali.In Nigeria, Boko Haram uses poverty and popular discontent to violently challenge the government and wreak havoc on the population.And in the Horn of Africa, a weakened but still dangerous al-Shabaab continues its terrorist attacks in Somalia and Kenya, and remains a threat to the broader region.To confront these challenges, the United States has intensified its efforts to build the security and governance capacity of our partners, and established several initiatives to develop effective counterterrorism strategies.In April, the first in a series of U.S.-funded conferences was held in Sana’a, Yemen, where senior officials from Somalia, Djibouti and Yemen discussed the terrorist threats facing them.We have provided our partners with technology to help secure their borders as well as counterterrorism training and equipment for their militaries and law enforcement.This assistance has enabled African nations to help each other,with Djiboutian forces taking part in the operations of AMISOM, the African Union military mission in Somalia, and restoring stability to the Beledweyne region.In the end, though, confronting violent extremism in Africa demands more than a military response.
