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

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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The Role of Civil Society in the Prosecution, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration of Former Terrorists

The Role of Civil Society in the Prosecution, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration of Former Terrorists

27 February 2024

On the margins of the GCTF’s 23rd Coordinating Committee Meeting, the EU and Kenya hosted consultations with Kenyan civil society representatives to explore opportunities for engaging civil society in the prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration of former terrorists.

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Empowering Practitioners and Policymakers to Strengthen Oversight and Accountability of Human Rights in Counterterrorism

Empowering Practitioners and Policymakers to Strengthen Oversight and Accountability of Human Rights in Counterterrorism

26 and 27 February 2024

The EU-led Oversight and Accountability Initiative hosted a transregional meeting convening experts from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia to inform an anticipated set of GCTF non-binding, practical recommendations on compliance with human rights in a counterterrorism context.

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The Convening Power of the West Africa Working Group

The Convening Power of the West Africa Working Group

26 February 2024

The West Africa Working Group held a side event on the margins of the GCTF’s 23rd Coordinating Committee Meeting to take stock of its achievements over the last 5 years. Regional partners explored how the Working Group’s regional meetings, supported by tailored national capacity-building activities, have benefited practitioners locally in their fight against terrorism, and how needs-focused regional events could further contribute to strengthening regional inter-agency and cross-border cooperation.

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Activities

Workshop on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs)

Workshop on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs)

26 May 2016

In order to increase the awareness of legal implications and considerations regarding the rehabilitation and reintegration of returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (RFTFs) and Violent Extremist Offenders (VEOs), the GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration (DR) Working Group and the Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group convened a joint meeting, together with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Turin. The meeting aimed to develop an addendum to the Rome Memorandum on Good Practices for Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Violent Extremist Offenders.

During this expert-level meeting, criminal justice practitioners as well as rehabilitation and reintegration experts reviewed and discussed specific legal framework issues regarding rehabilitation and reintegration efforts in custodial and non-custodial settings.Based on the outcomes of the meeting, a draft addendum to the Rome Memorandum will be prepared and adopted at the Tenth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting and the Seventh Ministerial Plenary Meeting in New York in September 2016.

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. 

Juvenile Justice in a Counterterrorism Context

Juvenile Justice in a Counterterrorism Context

NAXXAR - Malta - Under the auspices of the GCTF’s Criminal Justice and Rule of Law 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 expert meeting on Juvenile Justice in a Counterterrorism Context on 10-12 November 2015, in Naxxar, Malta. 

Second Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Plenary Meeting

Second Detention and Reintegration Working Group - Plenary Meeting

SYDNEY - Australia - On 2-3 November 2015, Australia hosted the GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration Working Group second plenary meeting in Sydney.

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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