20 September 2017
The Eighth GCTF Ministerial Plenary Meeting was co-chaired by Morocco and the Netherlands. Both countries announced a two-year extension of their co-chairmanship, and look forward to continue to lead the efforts of the GCTF in countering terrorism and violent extremism during their second mandate.
In the GCTF Ministerial Statement adopted during this meeting the Ministers of the GCTF Members reaffirmed their commitment to the joint international fight against terrorism and violent extremism. In the Statement, the GCTF Members recognized the need for enhanced capacity-building and expressed their support to the GCTF-Inspired institutions.
This year’s Ministerial Plenary Meeting endorsed new GCTF Framework Documents addressing the prevention and countering of violent extremism and terrorism online as well as the protection of soft targets in a counterterrorism context.
In addressing the challenges of 21st century terrorism, the GCTF will embark on a set of new Initiatives concerning, inter alia, homegrown violent extremists, the nexus between transnational organized crime and terrorism, and the challenge to address returning families of foreign terrorist fighters.