Africa Shield: Why securing development is becoming a new security priority
African governments are prioritizing security of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials as industrialization accelerates across the continent. The Africa Shield 2026 Regional Counterproliferation Workshop in Tunis brought together over 100 officials to strengthen capacity in preventing CBRN risks through training and coordination.
As African economies expand and adopt advanced technologies, governments face mounting pressure to safeguard sensitive materials used across healthcare, mining, research and industrial sectors. Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials are essential to development, yet their increasing prevalence creates new security challenges if oversight mechanisms fail to keep pace with growth.
Historically, African security discussions centered on armed conflict and terrorism. The landscape is shifting as healthcare infrastructure expands, mining operations scale and trade networks deepen. Weak regulatory frameworks, insufficient oversight or theft can enable diversion of these materials for criminal or malicious purposes. Security experts emphasize that the goal is not to impede development but to embed robust safeguards alongside innovation.
The Africa Shield 2026 Regional Counterproliferation Workshop, held in Tunis from July 14–16, convened more than 100 participants including law enforcement, military officials, policymakers and national coordinators responsible for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1540. This resolution mandates that states prevent non-state actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction and related materials.
The workshop was organized by the US Defence Threat Reduction Agency's International Counterproliferation Program, working with the European Union Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Centres of Excellence Risk Mitigation Initiative and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute. Now in its sixth iteration, Africa Shield focuses on training, coordination and capacity building to help African governments detect and respond to CBRN risks.
Participants examined how to maintain material security as industries expand and cross-border connections intensify. The discussions underscored a practical reality: protective systems must evolve in tandem with the industries and services that depend on these materials. The initiative reflects a strategic shift toward preventing CBRN vulnerabilities rather than responding to incidents after they occur.
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