6 October 2021
Reflections on the Forum's First Decade
The GCTF Co-Chairs, Canada and Morocco, hosted the Nineteenth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting in a virtual format on 6 October 2021.
This biannual gathering of GCTF Members—along with delegations from the GCTF Inspired Institutions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact—provided an opportunity to take stock of the Forum’s progress since the Coordinating Committee last met and to present new GCTF outputs and resources. The Coordinating Committee also reflected on what the Forum has achieved in its first decade, what remains to be done, and how it can continue to move forward to reach its objectives.
The GCTF was founded on 22 September 2011. The Forum’s 30 Members were united by the common goal of strengthening civilian-led international counterterrorism cooperation and making the international architecture more effective in addressing the evolving threat of terrorism. The GCTF was designed as an action-oriented and consultative organization to complement the efforts of the United Nations system and regional and sub-regional bodies in addressing critical counterterrorism needs, mobilizing expertise and resources, and enhancing global cooperation. Over the past decade, the GCTF’s structure and nimble nature has enabled the Forum to remain ahead of the curve in addressing emerging threats. It has proven to be a useful platform for counterterrorism officials and practitioners from around the world to share and develop good practices, expertise, strategies, tools and capacity building programs.
As the Forum kicks off a landmark year, the Coordinating Committee considered the Strategic Vision for the Next Decade | Arabic | French—the result of an inclusive, consultative process that produced a succinct, action-oriented document to lead the GCTF forward. The Coordinating Committee also noted recommendations on monitoring and evaluation provided through an independent assessment, and reviewed the sustainability of the Forum and its activities.
The Forum’s Strategic Vision is complemented by an independent report on The First Decade of the Global Counterterrorism Forum: Monitoring, Evaluating and Looking Forward. This report was presented to the Coordinating Committee and reflects upon and assesses the Forum’s work to help improve the promotion and practical use of GCTF outputs, to enhance the relevance, impact, and efficiency of the GCTF, and contribute to its sustainability. The Executive Summary, which contains the most important conclusions and recommendations, is available here: English | Arabic | French
GCTF Tenth Anniversary Panel Discussion
GCTF outputs and resources have benefited from the inclusion of a great many non-GCTF member countries and organizations, including civil society representatives. To mark the Forum’s tenth anniversary, the GCTF Co-Chairs, Canada and Morocco, organized a panel discussion to reflect on, to challenge and to celebrate the Forum's achievements. Moderated by Lori-Anne Théroux-Bénoni, ISS Regional Director, the panelists—David Scharia (CTED), Eric Rosand (RUSI), Edit Schlaffer (Women without Borders), Noor Huda Ismail—discussed the Forum’s impact on CT and P/CVE policies and programs at the local, national, regional and international levels and made recommendations on how to strengthen the GCTF’s role in the multilateral counterterrorism architecture during the next decade.
Watch the panel here:
Finally, the Nineteenth Coordinating Committee Meeting set the stage for the Eleventh GCTF Ministerial Plenary Meeting.