On 21 May 2026, Mashariki Research and Policy Centre (MRPC) participated in the high-level Counter-Terrorism Strategic Communications Conference held at the Australian High Commission in Nairobi. The forum brought together over 70 delegates, including multilateral partners like the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and IGAD, state agencies, civil society, and tech providers, to address pressing issues surrounding digital spaces and the prevention of online youth radicalization.

Research Fellow Alfred Eket represented MRPC at discussions, which examined how extremist groups like Al-Shabaab systematically exploit youth vulnerabilities and local languages to bypass mainstream content moderation. Participants emphasized on the strategic need of closing the “Africa–Big Tech gap” using localized AI tools, positive counter-narratives, and public-private tech partnerships to counter online radicalization.

MRPC’s participation in the conference underscores its active commitment to premier regional security dialogues and highlights its strategic focus on tracking emerging security threats within a rapidly evolving digital era. This engagement ensures that the Centre’s security foresight analysis and policy recommendations remain modern, holistic, and deeply relevant to national, regional, and international security actors.