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

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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