Background
The GCTF is an informal, apolitical, multilateral counterterrorism (CT) platform that contributes to the international architecture for addressing terrorism. In addition to the commitment of 32 Members of the GCTF, the Forum welcomes valuable contributions of non-GCTF countries and international and regional organizations as well as civil society organizations.
Since its launch in 2011, the GCTF has proven itself as a valued and practical platform for CT officials and practitioners around the world to share expertise and strategies and to develop widely applicable good practices and tools. The Forum facilitates frank and open discussions among stakeholders, bringing together experts and practitioners from across the world’s regions. This is a result of its anticipatory and nimble approach to identifying and addressing emerging trends and its central commitment to support United Nations (UN) counterterrorism efforts.
Looking towards the next decade, the Forum will continue to develop as the global terrorist landscape evolves.
Mission
The GCTF’s mission is to diminish terrorist recruitment and increase countries’ civilian capabilities for dealing with terrorist threats within their borders and regions. The GCTF works with partners around the globe to identify critical civilian CT needs, mobilize the necessary expertise and resources to support capacity building, and enhance global CT cooperation.
Central to the Forum’s overarching mission is the promotion of a strategic, long-term approach to prevent and counter terrorism and the violent extremist ideologies that underpin it. The GCTF develops non-binding good practices and tools for policymakers and practitioners to strengthen CT civilian capabilities, national strategies, action plans, and training modules.
A main objective of the Forum is to support and catalyze implementation of the United Nations (UN) Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, reviewed in June 2021, and the UN CT Framework more broadly, including for instance the UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism presented to the UN General Assembly in January 2016. The GCTF works closely with UN bodies to pursue this goal.
The GCTF prioritizes civilian capacity-building in areas such as rule of law, border management, and preventing and countering violent extremism.
Framework Documents
GCTF Members have endorsed Framework Documents consisting of good practices, recommendations, and action plans. These practical documents address a range of topics from effective, human rights-compliant CT practices in the criminal justice sector and preventing and denying the benefits of kidnapping for ransom by terrorists to effective responses to the “foreign terrorist fighters” phenomenon, community-oriented policing as tools for CVE and the protection of soft targets in a counterterrorism context.