African nations make 'securing development' a new security priority at Africa Shield forum
African governments are increasingly treating the security of development — from medicine and mining to scientific research — as a front-line defence priority as the continent industrialises, according to Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/20/africa-shield-why-securing-development-is-becoming-a-new-security-priority). The shifting focus comes as expanding healthcare systems, mining and trade leave states managing growing quantities of sensitive chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials.
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Mon, 20 July 2026 · 1 min read
African governments are increasingly treating the security of development — from medicine and mining to scientific research — as a front-line defence priority as the continent industrialises, according to Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/20/africa-shield-why-securing-development-is-becoming-a-new-security-priority). The shifting focus comes as expanding healthcare systems, mining and trade leave states managing growing quantities of sensitive chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials.
The trend was underscored at the Africa Shield 2026 Regional Counterproliferation Workshop, held July 14–16 in Tunis, which brought together more than 100 participants from across Africa, including law enforcement, military representatives and policymakers implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1540, Al Jazeera reported (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/20/africa-shield-why-securing-development-is-becoming-a-new-security-priority). The resolution requires states to prevent non-state actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction and related materials.
The workshop — now in its sixth edition — was led by the US Defence Threat Reduction Agency's International Counterproliferation Program, in partnership with the EU's CBRN Centres of Excellence Risk Mitigation Initiative and the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, according to Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/20/africa-shield-why-securing-development-is-becoming-a-new-security-priority). It focuses on helping African governments prevent, detect and respond to CBRN risks through training, coordination and capacity building as industries expand.
"The same materials that strengthen healthcare, scientific research, mining and industry can also become security risks if poorly managed," said Mubarak Aliyu, a Nigeria-based political and security risk analyst, quoted by Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/20/africa-shield-why-securing-development-is-becoming-a-new-security-priority). The programme reflects a move from reacting to incidents after they occur toward preventing vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
Major Brittany Brown of the US Defence Threat Reduction Agency described Africa Shield as providing an opportunity for participating countries to "exchange expertise and lessons learned" while deepening partnerships, calling it "a critical multilateral investment" that strengthens cooperation across the continent, Al Jazeera reported (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/20/africa-shield-why-securing-development-is-becoming-a-new-security-priority).
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