The GCTF has partnered with multiple United Nations (UN) offices on a wide range of activities, and they have been an active participant in both the Forum’s Coordinating Committee and its six Working Groups. At least one member of the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) has participated in all of the GCTF Ministerial, Coordinating Committee, and Working Group plenary meetings. All GCTF framework documents are consistent with UN policy and legal frameworks, and experts from a wide range of UN offices contributed to the development of these documents.

The GCTF has also launched several initiatives that serve as practical implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Both Hedayah, an international center of excellence for countering violent extremism (CVE) based in Abu Dhabi, and The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), serve as a platform for Pillar II of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism as part of their core principles. The International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) supports Pillar IV of the Strategy by developing curricula that address respect for human rights for all, and the rule of law as the fundamental basis of the fight against terrorism.

The GCTF has partnered with the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) to launch a joint Border Security Initiative (BSI). The BSI brings together border security policymakers and practitioners from countries in different regions to develop a set of globally-applicable good practices on border security and border management. GCTF events are also opened to relevant non-GCTF stakeholders, other countries, regional, sub-regional, and non-governmental organizations. 

Since 2011, more than 50 non-GCTF members have been invited to contribute to the Forum’s activities and work, and the Forum frequently partners with non-members on initiatives of shared interest. GCTF tools are also accessible to UN member states and non-members.