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

Expanding the GCTF Initiative to Operationalize the Berlin Memorandum to include new and emerging technologies related to UAS

Expanding the GCTF Initiative to Operationalize the Berlin Memorandum to include new and emerging technologies related to UAS

24 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 Ariel Systems and New, Emerging, and Disruptive Technologies Initiative. The new Initiative aims to provide a better understanding of the pros and cons of Unmanned Ariel Systems (UAS) use with a specific focus on emerging technological developments and includes the potential security impact of key types of emerging technologies.

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Partnership Consultation reinforces Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and UN Global CT Compact partnership

Partnership Consultation reinforces Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and UN Global CT Compact partnership

12 October 2023

The partnership consultation between the GCTF and the Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact reinforced engagement on global approaches to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and the UN CT Framework more broadly, to increase the impact of actions on the ground and explore approaches to new and emerging threats. Read more »
Insightful conversations with the Inspired Institutions bringing renewed energy to current and new efforts.

Insightful conversations with the Inspired Institutions bringing renewed energy to current and new efforts.

10 October 2023

The partnership dialogues with the GCTF Inspired Institutions – Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), Hedayah, and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) – helped bring renewed insights to activities underway. Active discussions on joint activities, shared priorities, and collectively tackling even more effectively terrorism and violent extremism efforts as well as innovative approaches to enhance collaborations and cooperation explored. Read more »
Gaining insights into how the good practices to a fair trial are being implemented in terrorism trials around the world

Gaining insights into how the good practices to a fair trial are being implemented in terrorism trials around the world

20 September 2023

GCTF CJROL Working Group and the IIJ’s CT PHARE facility, collaborate on the right to a fair trial, to be able to examine an accused person’s journey along the entire justice chain. The side event was held on margins of the 22nd Coordinating Committee Meeting and the 13th Ministerial Meeting in New York, where insights were shared from the recently held survey with experts and practitioners.

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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).

 GCTF Insights

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