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

Preventing terrorist groups from acquiring Small Arms and Light Weapons, Ammunitions and Unmanned Aircraft Systems in West Africa.

Preventing terrorist groups from acquiring Small Arms and Light Weapons, Ammunitions and Unmanned Aircraft Systems in West Africa.

5 - 7 December 2023

From 5-7 December, the West Africa Working Group (WAWG) held their second Disrupt the Networks event with a focus on preventing terrorist groups from acquiring Small Arms and Light Weapons, Ammunitions and Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the context of terrorist violence in West Africa. The meeting took place in Banjul, The Gambia. The regional event followed a previous 'Disrupt the Networks' event, which took place in Lomé, Togo, in June 2023, that focused on countering terrorist Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) networks.

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Closing out the third interactive two-day workshop to operationalize the twenty-six recommendations of the Berlin Memorandum focusing on emerging technologies

Closing out the third interactive two-day workshop to operationalize the twenty-six recommendations of the Berlin Memorandum focusing on emerging technologies

5 - 6 December 2023

The United Kingdom and the United States are hosting a series of operationalization webinars as part the GCTF Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems and New, Emerging, and Disruptive Technologies Initiative. The third virtual workshop looking into the benefits and challenges of emerging technologies on Unmanned Aerial Systems was held recently, where simulations helped bring to life the twenty-six recommendations of the Berlin Memorandum.

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Placing education at the heart of preventing and countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism efforts

Placing education at the heart of preventing and countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism efforts

23 November 2023

Education as a universal value transcends cultures and contexts and can therefore be a vehicle in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) conducive to terrorism efforts and interventions. The GCTF Education and P/CVE Initiative, led by the European Union and Morocco, supported by the GCTF CVE working group, with Hedayah as implementing partner, Launched the GCTF Education and P/CVE Initiative which seeks to build on, improve and make more current the good practices and recommendations as shared in the Abu Dhabi Memorandum.

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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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Activities

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

3-4 December 2015

The workshop built on the 2013 Rabat Conference on border control cooperation in the Sahel and Maghreb and the Inaugural Conference of the BSI, held on 21-22 July 2105 in El Jadida, Morocco, as well as good practices compiled at events in Cairns, Australia in August and Vienna, Austria in September. 

The objective of the workshop was to bring border officials from countries in the region and international border security and management experts together to further discuss identified challenges and potential good practices in the area of cross-border cooperation.

Key themes of discussion included:

  • The level of stability and security in a country or a border area is critically important for the overall success of border security and management policies.

  • High-ranking officials in national agencies dealing with border security and management may not necessarily be as effective as presumed in inter-agency cooperation.

  • Inter-agency coordination process in border security should be inclusive.

  • Mandates and working methods of border security and management agencies need to be revised and up-dated in order to address new risks connected to terrorism.

  • Border demarcation issues affect overall border security and management.

  • Countries need to develop robust social and economic policies that integrate remote border communities into society, aiming to increase inclusiveness.

  • Engagement with border communities is a key contributor to border security and management.

  • The gap between de facto and officially registered refugees is a common challenge in the countries of the HOA region.

  • The countries in the HOA region should be able to benefit from the international databases to enhance their border management.

  • Improved capacities are crucial for a robust border security and management.

More links

Horn of Africa Capacity Building Working Group - Plenary Meeting

Horn of Africa Capacity Building Working Group - Plenary Meeting

DJIBOUTI CITY - Djibouti - The GCTF’s Horn of Africa (HOA) Capacity Building Working Group’s Fifth Plenary Meeting convened in Djibouti City, Djibouti, on 2 June 2016.

Sahel Region Moving Forward on Border Security

Sahel Region Moving Forward on Border Security

DAKAR - Senegal - Under the auspices of the joint United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) – Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) Border Security Initiative (BSI), the Government of Senegal hosted the UNCCT-GCTF BSI Regional Workshop on the Sahel, on 11-12 May 2016, in Dakar.

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

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

NAIROBI - Kenya - On 7-8 October 2015, the government of Kenya hosted the GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration (DR) Working Group’s “Workshop on Education, Life Skill Courses and Vocational Training for Incarcerated Violent Extremist Offenders.” The workshop was co-chaired by the governments of Australia and Indonesia, and was co-organized by the Global Center on Cooperative Security (Global Center).

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