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

Transforming Good Practices into Recommendations for Funding and Enabling Community-level P/CVE

Transforming Good Practices into Recommendations for Funding and Enabling Community-level P/CVE

04 April 2023

The Countering Violent Extremism Working Group (CVE WG) hosted its fifth workshop under its Initiative on Funding and Enabling P/CVE initiatives at the Community Level, supported by GCERF as implementing partner. This session builds on the fourth workshop that highlighted knowledge and best practice sharing in the funding and enablement of local P/CVE initiatives.

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Strengthening National and Regional Cooperation in the Security and Justice Sectors to Counter Terrorism in West Africa

Strengthening National and Regional Cooperation in the Security and Justice Sectors to Counter Terrorism in West Africa

28 - 30 March 2023

Terrorist groups’ activities transcends national borders. The transnational nature of the terrorist threat requires strong interagency cooperation, regionally and nationally, to prevent and counter terrorism. The GCTF West Africa Working Group Co-Chairs, Algeria, and Germany, organized the “Strengthening National and Regional Cooperation in the Security and Justice Sectors to Counter Terrorism in West Africa” regional meeting to discuss ways to strengthen national and regional cooperation in the security and justice sectors to prevent and counter terrorism in the West African region.

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Gender and Identity Factors Platform for Countering Violent Extremism and Counterterrorism – 2nd GCTF Consultations

Gender and Identity Factors Platform for Countering Violent Extremism and Counterterrorism – 2nd GCTF Consultations

15 and 16 March 2023

During the recent GCTF consultation for the UNOCT Gender and Identity Factors Platform, supported and co-led by Global Affairs Canada, a deep dive was done into understanding the relationship of gender and identity factors in P/CVE efforts. These two consultations aimed to improve the platform and build upon the close cooperation and mutually reinforcing partnership between the GCTF and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact. 

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The GCTF Initiative to Operationalize the Berlin Memorandum.

The GCTF Initiative to Operationalize the Berlin Memorandum.

7 March 2023

The impact of the rapid evolution and proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are far-reaching. The launch event of the Initiative, “Operationalize the Berlin Memorandum”, led by the United Kingdom and United States, will help bring to life the twenty-six recommendations within the Berlin Memorandum.

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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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