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

Building Resilience: Reflections from the GCTF REMVE Toolkit Workshop on Challenges in the Nordic Countries

Building Resilience: Reflections from the GCTF REMVE Toolkit Workshop on Challenges in the Nordic Countries

19-20 June 2024

The Awareness Raising & Operationalizing the GCTF "Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism (REMVE)”* Toolkit Initiative leads, the United States and Norway, recently held a two-day workshop, hosted by Norway, 19-20 June 2024, in Oslo and at Utøya, where a far right extremist on 22nd July 2011 conducted domestic terrorist attacks that killed 77 individuals.

The interactive workshop brought a variety of stakeholders together to further enhance the GCTF REMVE Toolkit’s good practices and recommendations. The interactive workshop allowed participants to exchange perspectives on the rapidly evolving REMVE threats conducive to terrorism and draw lessons learned from Nordic countries’ experiences with REMVE.

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Identifying the Key Counterterrorism Capacity Needs in West Africa

Identifying the Key Counterterrorism Capacity Needs in West Africa

11-13 June 2024

The West Africa Capacity-Building Working Group (WA WG) Co-Chairs, Algeria and Germany, hosted the WA WG’s Fifth Plenary Meeting in Cotonou, Benin from 11 to 13 June 2024, with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as their implementing partner. The meeting brought together regional and international partners to consult on the priority areas for counterterrorism capacity-building in the region for the coming two years.

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Exploring Terrorist Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its Impact on Transnational Threats and Unmanned Systems

Exploring Terrorist Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its Impact on Transnational Threats and Unmanned Systems

11 and 12 June 2024

On 11 and 12 June, the GCTF Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems and New, Emerging, and Disruptive Technologies Initiative held a virtual exploratory dialogue on the terrorist use of AI and its impact on transnational threats and unmanned systems. The dialogue is a foundation to support international partners in their counterterrorism work by increasing understanding of threats and identify appropriate mitigations.

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Experts convene to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between climate change and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

Experts convene to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between climate change and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

4 June 2024

On 4 June, the Initiative Leads, Germany and Kenya, held an interactive virtual workshop with key experts and practitioners to discuss evidence on the nexus between climate fragility and vulnerability NS violent extremism conducive to terrorism. 

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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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