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

Effective Judicial Responses to Terrorist Offenses

Effective Judicial Responses to Terrorist Offenses

Through online sessions, the IIJ worked with East and West African criminal justice practitioners to encourage them to investigate and prosecute terrorism offences using the full range of legal tools at their disposal, including laws focused on sexual and gender-based violence crimes and other core international crimes. Read more »
Counterterrorism Perspectives in West Africa

Counterterrorism Perspectives in West Africa

21-23 June 2022

The GCTF Capacity-Building in the West Africa Region Working Group convened its second Plenary Meeting under the current co-chair mandate in Accra, Ghana. Discussions focused on regional and cross border priorities related to preventing and countering terrorism and explored ways to further enhance capacity building and cooperation in the region. Read more »
Returning Families in MENA & the Mediterranean

Returning Families in MENA & the Mediterranean

22 June 2022

The return of family members of foreign terrorist fighters is an ongoing and increasingly salient issue. The GCTF FTF Working Group convened a regional workshop to look at integrating policy and practice related to returning families in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East.

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Reintegration & Resocialization: a Mother’s Story

Reintegration & Resocialization: a Mother’s Story

In Kosovo, GCERF, a GCTF Inspired Institution, supports returnees from conflicts abroad—and their families—to reintegrate into their communities. One mother of five shares her experience.

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Activities

UN Counter-Terrorism Centre – GCTF Border Security Initiative - Second Regional Workshop on the Horn of Africa

UN Counter-Terrorism Centre – GCTF Border Security Initiative - Second Regional Workshop on the Horn of Africa

29-30 May 2016

The workshop provided an opportunity to discuss twelve draft good practices compiled as a result of previous meetings. 

Key themes of discussion included: 

  • While interagency cooperation is key for a successful border security and management (BSM) policy, governments should adopt tailored approaches on parameters to implement this cooperation. 
  • Lack of resources, threats to border communities emanating from FTFs, communities’ protection from terrorist groups and detachment of border communities in remote border areas from the wider community have been identified as key challenges in engagement with border communities and in the field of community border policing.
  • Governments might consider authorizing the local border agencies and liaison officers to interact with their counterparts on the other side of the border as a way of effective information exchange. 
  • Within the context of border surveillance, maritime borders need more attention.
  • Governments need to adopt a balanced approach while employing technology in the field of BSM.

  • Corruption and bribery have been identified as common risks which undermine overall efforts to devise and implement robust BSM policies.

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