AU advances arrest warrant and terrorism data bank frameworks

The African Union is moving to complete legal and information-sharing mechanisms designed to deny terrorist groups safe havens and disrupt their support networks across national borders.

Following a ministerial meeting in Addis Ababa during the week ending July 25, 2026, the AU Peace and Security Council called on the AU Commission to finalize an African Arrest Warrant and an AU data bank covering terrorist groups and people who support or facilitate their activities.

The proposed mechanisms are intended to strengthen judicial cooperation and reduce jurisdictional gaps that armed groups can exploit. The council also urged AU member states to prevent weapons produced in their territories from being sold to non-state actors and other armed groups.

The council highlighted the use of drones, encrypted communications and digital finance by terrorist organizations. It asked the AU Commission to develop continental guidelines for using artificial intelligence in counterterrorism, including predictive analysis, early warning and detection of extremist content, while also calling for stronger cybersecurity measures.

The meeting approved operationalization of the Peace and Security Council’s Subcommittee on Counter Terrorism and directed the AU Commission to support its mandate. The council also called for prevention efforts in countries not currently directly affected by terrorism and for civil society and nongovernmental organizations to be included in continental security planning.

The council expressed concern about declining technical and financial support for African peace operations and urged renewed international backing, including implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 on financing AU-led peace support operations.