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. 

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What is the GCTF?

News

GCTF Border Security and Management (BSM) Initiative - First BSM Exploratory Dialogue: Integrating and Promoting Human Rights and Gender-Sensitive Approaches

GCTF Border Security and Management (BSM) Initiative - First BSM Exploratory Dialogue: Integrating and Promoting Human Rights and Gender-Sensitive Approaches

14 November 2023

In a rapidly evolving world, the challenges of border security and management have become more complex than ever before. International terrorism, transnational crime, and the movement of foreign terrorist fighters have necessitated a comprehensive approach to safeguard borders. The GCTF Border Security and Management (BSM) Initiative Leads, Jordan, the United States and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism organized the First BSM Exploratory Dialogue: Integrating and Promoting Human Rights and Gender-Sensitive Approaches.

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An interactive, two-day workshop including real-life simulations to improve national-level terrorist watchlisting and screening processes

An interactive, two-day workshop including real-life simulations to improve national-level terrorist watchlisting and screening processes

8 - 9 November 2023

Building on the success of previous workshops and engagements, the GCTF Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) Working Group Co-Chairs, Jordan and the United States, organized a two-day, interactive workshop focused on raising awareness and helping put into action the recommendations shared in the GCTF Counterterrorism Watchlisting Toolkit with focus on the countries located in the Western Hemisphere.

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Sharpening insights of the complexities of reintegrating and rehabilitating returnees through interactive simulations

Sharpening insights of the complexities of reintegrating and rehabilitating returnees through interactive simulations

18 - 19 October 2023

The FTF Working Group, Co-Chaired by Jordan and the United States, with the support of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) as implementing partner, arranged an in-person event where interactive simulations allowed practitioners and experts at the working-level to engage on the topic to uncover the challenges and dilemmas practitioners are faced with when reintegrating FTFs and their family members into their local communities.

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Tabletop exercises are bringing to life the 26 recommendations of the Berlin Memorandum with focus on emerging technological developments

Tabletop exercises are bringing to life the 26 recommendations of the Berlin Memorandum with focus on emerging technological developments

24 - 25 October 2023

The United Kingdom and the United States are hosting a series of webinars as part of a new Initiative, the GCTF Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems and New, Emerging, and Disruptive Technologies Initiative. This is the second virtual workshop in a series of workshops to help bring to life the twenty-six recommendations and support a network of experts in their understanding of the best practices and how best to counter malign and illicit uses of UAS with special focus on emerging technological developments.

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Activities

Horn of Africa Capacity Building Working Group - Plenary Meeting

Horn of Africa Capacity Building Working Group - Plenary Meeting

2 June 2016

The meeting, Co-Chaired by Turkey and the European Union, brought together 70 representatives from GCTF Members, non-members such as Norway and Israel, HOA countries including Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen, United Nations bodies, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the three GCTF-inspired institutions GCERF, Hedayah and IIJ.

Participants discussed the current state of counterterrorism (CT) and countering violent extremism (CVE) initiatives in the region and exchanged views on preventing violent extremism (PVE) and CVE initiatives, taking into account the UN Plan of Action on PVE that the UN briefly presented.

Key themes of the discussion included:

  • Terrorism threat faced by the region.
  • The continued need for coordination of CVE and CT activities and capacity-building programs.
  • Further linking of the GCTF initiatives with the HOA region.

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Seventh GCTF Ministerial Plenary Meeting

Seventh GCTF Ministerial Plenary Meeting

NEW YORK - United States - 2016 marks the fifth anniversary of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF). On 21 September 2016, the Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, Mr Nasser Bourita, and Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Mr Bert Koenders, co-chaired the Seventh Ministerial Plenary Meeting of the GCTF in New York. The Ministerial Plenary Meeting showcased the action-oriented and strategic nature of the GCTF and provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress achieved since the launch of the Forum, five years ago.

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

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. 

Ninth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting

Ninth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting

THE HAGUE - the Netherlands - The GCTF Coordinating Committee convened for its ninth meeting on 12-13 April 2016. Member States and representatives of the GCTF partner organizations reviewed the Forum’s strategic priorities, considered the ongoing and planned initiatives, and reviewed activities since the previous Coordinating Committee Meeting in New York, held on 25 September 2015.

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

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.

Eighth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting

Eighth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting

NEW YORK - United States - On 26 September 2015, the GCTF Coordinating Committee convened in New York for its eighth meeting. Members reviewed the Forum’s strategic priorities, considered ongoing and planned initiatives, and reviewed activities since the previous GCTF Coordinating Committee meeting held on 6-7 May 2015 in Doha, Qatar.

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