The European Union (EU) and Security in Africa

Okundegbe; Augustina Oluchi PhD in view; Okore; Michael Okiemute PhD

doi:10.56201/jpslr.vol.12.no9.2026.pg176.188

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The European Union (EU) and Security in Africa

Okundegbe, Augustina Oluchi PhD in view, Okore, Michael Okiemute PhD

Abstract

The study investigated European Union (EU) and security in Africa. Africa States faces a complex web of security challenges, including armed conflict, terrorism, political instability, and transnational crime. These issues are often intertwined and exacerbated by factors like climate change, poverty, and weak governance. The objectives of the study were to; examine EU security assistance in Africa; and analyse the effectiveness of EU security assistance in Africa. The study adopted the Liberal Institutionalism (sometimes called neo-liberal institutionalism) developed by Robert O. Keohane in 1984. The study employed the explanatory research design and applied secondary sources of data sourced from academic journals, books, reports of EU and AU among others. The study found that African States have received numerous form of assistance from the European Union, these assistant are in the areas of military missions, financial support and capacity building among others. The study concluded that the European Union’s involvement in African security has been noteworthy, multifaceted, and evolving, driven by a mix of stability concerns, development goals, and European strategic interests such as counterterrorism, migration control, and regional security. While the EU has contributed valuable support through military training, security sector reform, and regional peacekeeping, its overall effectiveness remains mixed. The study recommended that EU member States should align security assistance with local needs and ownership by encouraging African leadership in designing, implementing, and monitoring security assistance. Key words: European Union (EU), Africa continent, security challenges and defense initiatives

Keywords

European Union (EU)Africa continentsecurity challenges and defense initiatives

References

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The European Union (EU) and Security in Africa

Abstract

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