About the GCTF

The Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) is an informal, apolitical, multilateral counterterrorism platform. It is small, nimble, inclusive, and consensus-based. Its overarching mission is to reduce the vulnerability of people worldwide to terrorism by mobilizing expertise and resources to prevent, combat, and prosecute terrorist acts and counter incitement and recruitment to terrorism.

The Forum brings together policymakers and practitioners from around the world to share experiences and expertise, and to develop practical, publicly available tools and strategies on how to prevent and counter the evolving terrorist threat. The GCTF is currently co-chaired by Egypt and the European Union.

News

Lessons learned on artificial intelligence and countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism

15 July 2025

The Countering Violent Extremism Working Group – co-chaired by Australia and Indonesia – in collaboration with the International Center of Excellence for Countering Extremism & Violent Extremism (Hedayah) held a virtual event to discuss the challenges and opportunities of new and emerging technologies, including generative artificial intelligence, when countering extremism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

Consolidating stakeholder input and insights to increase understanding of the links between climate change and insecurity

3 June 2025

Led by Germany and Kenya, the Initiative on Addressing the Nexus Between Climate Change and Violent Extremism conducive to terrorism held a virtual workshop seeking stakeholder input and insights on the links between climate change and insecurity.

Training practitioners on motivational disengagement for the East Africa Capacity-Building Working Group

30 May 2025

Under the mandate of Kenya and Kuwait, the East Africa Capacity-Building Working Group held a training workshop in motivational disengagement for security officers.

Rehabilitating and reintegrating violent extremist terrorists in prison – best practices and early intervention approaches

23 May 2025

Led by co-chairs Australia and Indonesia, the Countering Violent Extremism Working Group held an in-person workshop to discuss good practice approaches for rehabilitating violent extremist terrorist prisoners and managing their reintegration into the community upon release.

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Activities

Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Workshop on Education, Life Skill Courses and Vocational Training for Incarcerated Violent Extremist Offenders

7-8 October 2015

The workshop concentrated on the design, implementation, and evaluation of cognitive skills programs, basic education courses and vocational training that can be offered to violent extremist offenders (VEOs) during imprisonment, as part of their rehabilitation programming.

Presentations and interactive discussions were centered around six main themes, including:

the initial assessments of VEOs as a method to comprehend their background and needs in prison, as well as the elements necessary to create a beneficial prison environment that encourages learning and positive progress among terrorist prisoners;
the provision of basic education in prison;
vocational skills development and employment assistance for VEOs;
psychological and spiritual development of VEOs;
the role of arts, sports, and culture;
and the training, vetting, and monitoring of prison staff and volunteers providing the programs.

Several of the recommendations of this workshop, and other workshops in this series of DR Working Group activities, will be used in the training program that the Global Center is developing in close partnership with the Governments of Australia, Indonesia and future partner countries. The training program will help equip prison officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to manage terrorist prisoners and prevent radicalization to violent extremism in the prison system.

Tags: Kenya Nairobi Detention and Reintegration Working Group DRWG violent extremism training workshop

P/CVE Policy Toolkit: Gender Analysis & the Evidence Base

The GCTF Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Working Group, Co-Chaired by Australia and Indonesia and supported by the Global Center on Cooperative Security, held a series of three virtual workshops to inform the development of the Gender and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) Policy Toolkit.

Workshop on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs)

TURIN - Italy - The GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration and Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Groups and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) teamed up with experts in Turin to discuss the ways forward on the rehabilitation and reintegration of returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs).

Countering Violent Extremism Working Group - The Role of Family is Critical in Preventing Violent Extremism

ABU DHABI - United Arab Emirates – On 23-25 May 2016, under the auspices of the GCTF’s Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Working Group, Hedayah, the International Center of Excellence for CVE, hosted a workshop on the P/CVE roles of families.

Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Group - Workshop on Identifying and Countering Terrorist Recruiters and Facilitators

WASHINGTON D.C. - United States - The Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group convened an expert meeting in Washington on 25-26 April to discuss ways to identify and counter terrorist recruiters and facilitators.

UN Counter-Terrorism Centre – GCTF Border Security Initiative Regional Workshop on the Horn of Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Under the auspices of the joint United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) – GCTF Border Security Initiative (BSI), the Government of Kenya hosted the first Regional Workshop on the Horn of Africa (HOA), on 3-4 December 2015, in Nairobi.

Second Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Plenary Meeting

SYDNEY - Australia - On 2-3 November 2015, Australia hosted the GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration Working Group second plenary meeting in Sydney.

Lessons learned on artificial intelligence and...

Consolidating stakeholder input and insights to...

Training practitioners on motivational...

Rehabilitating and reintegrating violent extremist...

Consolidating efforts to prevent and counter...