Through the afrocentricity lens: Terror, insurgency and implications for regional integration in Southern Africa from Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique

This chapter examines the motivations and implications of terror and insurgency and their significance for regional integration, focusing on Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Province. The presence and rise of insurgency groups are familiar in most African states. From an Afrocentric political discourse and since the birth of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), regional integration has long been envisioned as a critical constituent in the continent's quest for economic prosperity. Afrocentricity focuses on macro-level issues that locate Africans at the centre of their emancipation. A fundamental question here is how the prevalence and emergence of insurgents has affected regional integration, such as country-specific internal stability, neighbouring states, and displacement of people. This poses a problem for many aspects of the state's and region's internal and external dynamics. The rise of terrorism-related attacks in the Cabo Delgado province has highlighted Africa's weak security spectrum across most regions. The emergence of new insurgency groups clearly outlines the continuous conflict-based challenges faced in Africa since the colonial era. With this in mind, the chapter brings to the fore the underlying dynamics driving this insurgency surge. To begin with, there is a shortage of well-designed initiatives-driven blueprints based on state cooperation, resource distribution, monitoring, and evaluation. Although some of these exist, they are poorly managed and lack direction. Porous borders and weak security structures continuously contribute to the infiltration of insurgency groups. There is a strong need to focus on resource allocation and for sub-regional emerging powers to take the lead on continental security measures. Tackling national, political, and socio-economic difficulties is critical for the continent and Southern Africa to attain regional integration.