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

Sixth GCTF Ministerial Plenary Meeting

Sixth GCTF Ministerial Plenary Meeting

27 September 2015

The meeting featured the establishment of a new “Initiative to Address the Life Cycle of Radicalization to Violence” and the launch of the International Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Capacity-Building Clearinghouse Mechanism (ICCM).

Members adopted two new GCTF framework documents: (1) the Good Practices on Women and Countering Violent Extremism; and (2) the Addendum to the Algiers Memorandum on Good Practices on Preventing and Denying the Benefits of Kidnapping for Ransom by Terrorists.

Members also announced a number of bilateral and multilateral initiatives. Switzerland announced an initiative focusing on the improvement of the juvenile justice system in a counterterrorism context, which will be launched under the auspices of the GCTF Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group, in collaboration with the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).

Members reiterated their strong support for the work of the GCTF and took note of its achievements to date, including the adoption and implementation of previous framework documents articulating good practices for civilian counterterrorism practitioners and policy makers. Members also voiced strong support for the three GCTF-inspired institutions: (1) Hedayah in Abu Dhabi; (2) the IIJ in Valletta; and (3) GCERF in Geneva.

Statements by GCTF members and the United Nations touched on a number of common themes, including: (1) acknowledgement of a radically-changing counterterrorism landscape; (2) support for the new initiative on addressing the life cycle of radicalization to violence; (3) support for establishment of the ICCM; (4) the actionable implementation of the GCTF good practices and guidelines; and (5) the importance of maintaining synergy and complementarity between the activities of the GCTF and the UN system.

Members also commended Turkey and the United States as the outgoing Co-Chairs and congratulated the Netherlands and Morocco, as the incoming Co-Chairs of the GCTF, beginning first with the Netherlands, followed by Morocco upon conclusion of the spring 2016 GCTF Coordinating Committee meeting.

Documents to download

More links

Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Group - Plenary Meeting

Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Group - Plenary Meeting

NEUCHÂTEL - Switzerland - The Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Group (CJ-ROL) will focus on further implementation of good practices highlighted in the Rabat Memorandum. That is one of the strategic outcomes of the Plenary Meeting of this Working Group, held on 3-4 May 2016. 

Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Group - Workshop on Identifying and Countering Terrorist Recruiters and Facilitators

Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Group - Workshop on Identifying and Countering Terrorist Recruiters and Facilitators

WASHINGTON D.C. - United States - The Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group convened an expert meeting in Washington on 25-26 April to discuss ways to identify and counter terrorist recruiters and facilitators. 

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.

Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group - Experts Meeting on Juvenile Justice in a Counterterrorism Context

Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group - Experts Meeting on Juvenile Justice in a Counterterrorism Context

TURIN - Italy – Under the auspices of the GCTF’s Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group, the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), the Government of Switzerland and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) hosted an experts meeting on Juvenile Justice in a Counterterrorism Context on 16-17 February 2016, in Turin, Italy.

 GCTF Insights

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