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

23rd Coordinating Committee Meeting: Focus on Africa and Holistic Approaches to Counterterrorism

23rd Coordinating Committee Meeting: Focus on Africa and Holistic Approaches to Counterterrorism

01 March 2024

From 26 -29 February the GCTF 23rd Coordinating Committee Meeting, co-chaired by Egypt and the European Union, and side events on its margins were held in Nairobi, Kenya. Key highlights from the week include , the renewal of Egypt and the EU’s Co-Chairs’ mandate for two more years, new GCTF Members Kenya and Kuwait reviving the East Africa Working Group, in-depth conversations about the terror threat in Africa and a holistic approach to the prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration of former terrorists, and the launch of a new GCTF Initiative on the nexus between climate change and violent extremism. 

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Press Release: 23rd Global Counterterrorism Forum Coordinating Committee Meeting Hosted by New Member Kenya

Press Release: 23rd Global Counterterrorism Forum Coordinating Committee Meeting Hosted by New Member Kenya

29 February 2024

29 FEBRUARY 2024, NAIROBI | The Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) – a platform for multilateral engagement to prevent and counter terrorism – held its 23rd Coordinating Committee Meeting on 29 February in Nairobi, Kenya. Egypt and the EU, remaining at the helm of the Forum for a further two years until 2026, restated their strong commitment to supporting African-led efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism, partnering and engaging with African states, regional organizations and those closest to the most vulnerable communities. The event was held under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Monica Juma, National Security Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kenya. Senior counterterrorism and criminal justice officials, civil society practitioners and leading think-tanks, along with key partners, international organizations, and the GCTF-Inspired Institutions, joined the 32 GCTF Members to explore opportunities for joint action to counter and prevent terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

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The Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Working Group Co-Chairs Reflect on the Past and Future of the Working Group During its Twelfth Plenary Meeting.

The Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Working Group Co-Chairs Reflect on the Past and Future of the Working Group During its Twelfth Plenary Meeting.

28 February 2024

The Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Working Group Co-Chairs, Australia and Indonesia, reflect on delivered activities in their Twelfth Plenary organized on the margins of the 23rd GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya to strategize on the way forward to seek more cross-functional partnerships for a cohesive and integrated approach to preventing and countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism (P/CVE).

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Addressing the Threat of Terrorism and Violent Extremism in East Africa through Collaborative Action

Addressing the Threat of Terrorism and Violent Extremism in East Africa through Collaborative Action

28 February 2024

The EU and Kenya hosted a meeting on the margins of the 23rd Coordinating Committee Meeting to take a closer look at financing and media strategies sustaining terrorist groups in the region and how to dismantle them.

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Activities

Sahel Region Moving Forward on Border Security

Sahel Region Moving Forward on Border Security

11-12 May 2016

The workshop built on the UNCCT-UNCTED 2013 Rabat Conference, the Inaugural Conference of the UNCCT-GCTF BSI in El Jadida (July 2105), as well as good practices compiled at the experts meeting in Cairns, Australia (August 2015), in Vienna, Austria (September 2015) and the UNCCT-GCTF BSI First Regional Workshop on the Horn of Africa in Nairobi, Kenya (December 2015). 

The objective of the workshop was to bring together border officials from countries in the region and international border security and management experts to further discuss identified challenges and potential good practices in the area of cross-border cooperation. The discussions helped the development of a global non-binding good practices document. These good practices will be presented and adopted at the Tenth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting and the Seventh Ministerial Plenary Meeting in New York in September 2016. 

Key themes of discussion included:

  • Improved border security and management will impact the national security of countries in the Sahel region. 

  • Interagency and cross-border cooperation is key for an effective BSM policy. 

  • There is need for improved capacities and coordination of capacity-building programs in the field of BSM in the Sahel region.

  • Improved emphasis on legal framework and administrative mechanisms at national level is key for a structured national BSM approach. 

  • Border demarcation issues affect overall border security and management measures. 

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

More links

Expert Workshop on the Implementation of Rabat Good Practices 12-15 in the Sahel Region

Expert Workshop on the Implementation of Rabat Good Practices 12-15 in the Sahel Region

ALGIERS - Algeria - The Co-Chairs of the Sahel Capacity Building (Sahel) Working Group, Algeria and Canada, in collaboration with the Co-Chairs of the Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group, Egypt and the United States (US), organized a workshop focusing on the Rabat Memorandum’s good practices related to legal frameworks as a way to promote rule of law-compliant responses to terrorism in the Sahel region. 

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.

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