The Security Challenges of a Borderless Africa: Issues and Perspectives

Abstract

The maximisation of Africa’s human and natural resources for continental well-being is a laudable goal. However, the African continent is currently faced with many challenges that make the realisation of this goal a mirage. These challenges could be broadly categorised as political, economic and social. The political challenges stem from the colonial heritage which has divided the continent mainly along the anglophone and francophone gulf with attendant consequences. The economic challenges also stem from the former and manifest in the difficulty to achieve a single currency after several attempts over the years. However, the social aspects include issues of security which present in the form of terrorism, insurgency, human trafficking, xenophobia and other forms of transboundary crimes. Using mainly secondary sources of data involving critical analysis of relevant policies and literature, this chapter examines the readiness of the continent in achieving the much-anticipated borderless Africa as well as inherent constraints. The current security issues facing the continent no doubt pose a formidable challenge to the achievement of the potentials of continental integration and development. The chapter concludes with programmatic suggestions on harnessing the inherent potentials of the African continent with robust solutions to the menace evolving from the security issues.