1 April 2026
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) pose a major threat to the African continent. While West Africa has historically bore the brunt of such activity, the use of IEDs in East Africa has alarmingly risen with terrorist groups in the region preferring their low cost, ease-of-use, and sophistication.
While it is imperative to dismantle regional IED supply chains, terrorist groups have found ways to exploit legally available materials to construct the devices. Combined with regulatory issues, difficulties with curtailing transnational trafficking networks, and outdated and inconsistent legal frameworks, law enforcement authorities face significant challenges in this regard.
Altogether, such challenges demonstrate that a coordinated regional approach is necessary to close regulatory loopholes, strengthen border controls, harmonize laws, and enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms. To aid these efforts, the East Africa Capacity-Building Working Group (EAWG) – co-chaired by Kenya and Kuwait – held an in-person expert meeting in Ukunda, Kenya on strengthening community resilience against IEDs through preventative, coordinated, and whole-of-society approaches in the region.
Bringing together governments, law enforcement agencies, military and defense institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, the meeting aimed to create a shared understanding of the evolving IED threat. By examining existing shortcomings, providing tools to dismantle supply chains, and fostering stronger inter- and intra-agency coordination, participants were enabled to determine effective strategies around regional cooperation and collective resilience.
Network disruption as it relates to the growing use of IEDs by terrorist groups was identified as a priority area that aligns with key terrorism and violent extremism threats in East Africa by the EAWG in their 2024–2026 Work Plan. Under the Kenya-Kuwait mandate, the Working Group intends to continue supporting necessary capacity-building efforts against the terrorist threat in the region.