Global Center Roundtable Series

The Global Center hosted a series of interactive, informal roundtable discussions on substantive issues and new developments relating to violent extremism, terrorism, and counterterrorism with guest speakers representing the United Nations, national governments, civil society, and the private sector. These roundtables are part of the Global Center’s work on promoting and protecting human rights, safeguarding civic space, and advancing rule-of-law based approaches to countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism in line with the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

Topics included national action plans, use of financial investigations in countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) and its implications for human rights, and the development of screening, prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration frameworks.

21 May 2021: A Conversation with Civil Society on The Seventh Review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
The Global Center, in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ms. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, brought together UN member state and civil society representatives to discuss priority issues in the Seventh Review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. These include oversight and accountability of UN and member state efforts to implement the Strategy, the UN’s engagement with civil society throughout the Strategy review process, and the applicability of new terminology to describe evolving terrorism threats, including those identified in the Secretary General’s report on Activities of the UN system in implementing the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Ní Aoláin and Ms. Melissa Lefas, Global Center’s Chief of Strategy. Closing remarks were delivered by H.E. Mr. Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain to the UN.

29 April 2021: Situating UN Counterterrorism and PVE efforts within the Organization’s Reforms and the Prevention Agenda
The Global Center’s ninth roundtable explored the extent to which UN counterterrorism and preventing violent extremism efforts are Participants discussed how these efforts can best support prevention and sustainable peace, while examining the potential risks of a more expansive counterterrorism agenda at the country level. Further discussion points included the benefits of locally driven and long-term, sustained civil society engagement and the importance of the UN counterterrorism architecture promoting and protecting human rights in all its efforts.
Featured speakers: Ms. Valerie Julliand (UN Resident Coordinator, Indonesia), Ms. Hanaa Singer (UN Resident Coordinator, Sri Lanka), Mr. Kurtmolla Abdulganiyev (UN Peace and Development Advisor, Kyrgyzstan), Ms. Nika Saeedi (UNDP), Mr. Fadi Abi Allam (Permanent Peace Movement Lebanon), Mr. Keneshbek Sainazarov (Search for Common Ground Central Asia)

2 December 2020: Launch of the 2020 Global Terrorism Index
For its eight roundtable event, the Global Center co-hosted the launch of the 2020 Global Terrorism Index in collaboration with the Institute for Economics and Peace, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and the RESOLVE Network in collaboration with the Global Research Network of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). Among its key findings, the index notes a decline in deaths from terrorism for the fifth consecutive year, a 250% increase in right-wing terrorism in the last five years, a geographic shift for ISIL’s “center of gravity,” and the decrease of deaths caused by ISIL to below 1,000 for the first time since the group’s inception. Discussions also addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the link between conflict and terrorism, among others. The event can be viewed here.
Featured speakers: Mr. Steve Killelea (Institute for Economics and Peace), Assistant Secretary-General Michele Coninsx (CTED), Mr. Alastair Reed (United States Institute of Peace and RESOLVE Network)

20 August 2020: Engaging Civil Society in Rehabilitation and Reintegration Efforts in Prisons
The Global Center and the government of the Republic of Indonesia, president of the Security Council in August 2020, hosted the seventh event in its monthly roundtable series to discuss civil society engagement in prison-based rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. During the discussion, participants addressed the role of civil society and government cooperation in prisons, including requirements for meaningful engagement of civil society in rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. Relevant prerequisites mentioned include structural and legal frameworks for engagement, sustained multi-year funded programs, and systematic and trust-building cooperation between governments, public sector, and civil society. Participants recognized the reputational and security risks for both governments and civil society organizations when working together, as well as the important gains that such cooperation can have on positive reintegration outcomes.
Featured speakers: Ms. Siti Darojatul Aliah (Society Against Radicalism and Violent Extremism), Mr. Christopher Dean (Identify Psychological Services, Ltd.), Dr. Siobhan O’Neil (United Nations University), Mr. Maximilian Ruf (Violence Prevention Network)

20 May 2020: Terrorism, Mass Surveillance, and Emerging Technologies
This virtual event addressed the use of surveillance mechanisms and the collection of personal data in counterterrorism investigations. The discussion drew attention to the broad abuses in mass surveillance technology and the challenges of ensuring human rights-compliant practices, emphasizing the roles that the United Nations, the private sector, and civil society can play. Panelists commented on the need for visible leadership in this area and further efforts to understand the broader implications of mass data collection practices for counterterrorism purposes outside of the national security space.
Featured speakers: Dr. Ilia Siatitsa (Privacy International), Mr. Alexander Moorehead (OHCHR), Mr. Javed Ali (former U.S. National Security Council), and Dr. Eleonore Pauwels (Global Center)

2 April 2020: Developing and Implementing Screening, Prosecution, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Strategies
The Global Center hosted its first virtual roundtable event in the series to discuss approaches for developing and implementing screening, prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration strategies. The discussions highlighted the need to develop context-specific approaches that account for the legal, political, sociological, and material constraints. Discussants emphasized select human rights challenges, including the need to uphold individual criminal responsibility and the presumption of innocence, the collection and use of data for screening processes, and the need to promote and protect children’s and victims’ rights and protect against gender-based violence.
Featured speakers: Prof. Issa Saibou (University of Maroua), Mr. Steven Siqueira (UNOCT), and Mr. Ulrich Garms (UNODC)

15 January 2020: The Use of Financial Investigations in CFT and its Implications for Human Rights
This event focused on the collection and use of financial data in terrorism investigations and the effects of CFT regulations on the shrinking space for civil society and human rights. Featured speakers highlighted the instrumental role financial investigations can play in disrupting the flow of illicit funds and identifying suspects, while emphasizing the applicable legal frameworks in the collection, use, and sharing of financial information. Participants challenged the perceptions that the non-profit sector is inherently at higher risk for terrorism financing and the effect these regulations have on civic space.
Featured speakers: Mr. Shaun McLeary (Global Center), Ms. Jacqueline Shire (1267 Monitoring Team), Ms. Delphine Schantz (UN CTED), and Ms. Deborah Brown (Association for Progressive Communications)

13 December 2019: Launch of the Global Terrorism Index
The Global Center and the Institute for Economics and Peace co-hosted the New York launch of the Global Terrorism Index 2019. Key trends in the report were highlighted, which include a 320% rise of violent right wing extremism reported over the last five years, the increased activity and deadliness of the Taliban attacks, and the shifting presence of the Islamic State in West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin Region. The discussion centered on the implications of the trends and data contained in the Index, including the ways in which technology has changed the anatomy of violent extremism, the use of widespread information manipulation, and the growing role of the private sector in these efforts, as well as the impact of counterterrorism strategies on women’s rights.
Featured speakers: Mr. Serge Stroobants (Institute for Economics and Peace), Ms. Letta Tayler (Human Rights Watch), and Ms. Audrey Alexander (U.S. Military Academy West Point)

18 November 2019: National and Regional Plans of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism
This event launched the roundtable series and highlighted current efforts undertaken by UN member states to prepare national and regional action plans to prevent violent extremism, which now require sustained and rigorous monitoring and evaluation. The discussions raised the important role that Resident Coordinators play in orienting the UN’s efforts to support governments in implementing these plans; the need for improved engagement at the local level, including through the creation of community-based action plans; and the importance of inviting civil society to participate in the creation of such plans from the outset.
Featured speakers: Mr. Raja Gundu (UNOCT) and Mr. Alexander Avanessov (UNDP)

The Global Center hosted a high-level event inviting civil society representatives to share reflections on the 2021 report of the Secretary-General on the Activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the seventh review of the Strategy. The event served as a formal opportunity for member state and UN representatives to hear directly from a wide range of civil society actors as part of the review process and complimented the informal, member states-only briefing organized by the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) held on Friday the 5th of March.  

The event was opened by the Co-facilitators of the seventh review of the Strategy, their Excellencies the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain, Ambassadors Mohamed Al-Hassan and Agustín Santos Maraver in which they welcomed the initiative and highlighted the role of civil society in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism, and the importance of collaborating with civil society.

The panel of civil society discussants consisted of Ms. Sarah Cliffe, Executive Director of the New York University Center on International Cooperation; Ms. Mallika Iyer, Asia Programs Coordinator and Humanitarian Action Specialist of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders; Ms. Ornella Moderan, Head of Sahel Programme of the Institute for Security Studies; and Mr. Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer of CIVICUS. Discussants spoke on a range of topics, including the Secretary-General’s Prevention Agenda, successful approaches to prevention in complex security environments, the need to account for the impact of counterterrorism measures on humanitarian efforts, the need to ensure evidence-based policy and program development which mainstreams human rights and gender consideration, and ways in which member states and the UN can better safeguard civic space while countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism. Also, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin offered her response to the discussants.

Interventions from the floor were made by a diverse set of civil society organizations representing diverse geographic regions and thematic priorities in the Strategy review. Final reflections were offered by Mr. Raffi Gregorian, Deputy Under-Secretary General and Director of the UNOCT, H.E. Silvio Gonzato, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the United Nations and member state representatives.

For more information on the Global Center’s events, including its roundtable series, please contact Ms. Franziska Praxl at fpraxl@globalcenter.org.

This report, the fifth in the “Blue Sky” series, explores how the UN’s comparative advantage can be leveraged to improve the policy development, interagency coordination, delivery, and impact of counterterrorism and preventing violent extremism efforts in support of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It first observes the growth of the Strategy and UN counterterrorism efforts in response to the evolving security landscape, resulting in a sprawling institutional architecture and array of programming that require considerable focus to coordinate and lead. Second, the report places counterterrorism and preventing violent extremism efforts within broader UN reforms to advance a prevention-forward approach that creates opportunities for greater integration across the UN’s pillars of human rights, peace and security, and development. Third, it assesses efforts to implement the Strategy at the global, institutional, and programmatic levels in a manner that systematically accounts for human rights and promotes transparency and accountability.

The recommendations focus on (1) calibrating the UN counterterrorism architecture; (2) situating UN counterterrorism efforts within the prevention framework; (3) engaging and supporting civil society; (4) mainstreaming human rights; and (5) assessing the Strategy’s implementation.

Summary findings and key recommendations were presented during a launch event held in July 2020, in the lead up to the Virtual UN Counter-Terrorism Week. Support for this project, including the consultations, high-level events, and report, was generously provided by the governments of the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland.

Read the Report

 

Read the Summary

 

Over the course of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Global Center hosted and participated in numerous events and functions aimed at advancing effective policy and practice around countering violent extremism, criminal justice and rule of law, and financial integrity and inclusion.

As part of its roundtable series, the Global Center hosted its eighth virtual meeting on “The Future of Multilateralism: Opportunities and Challenges in Counterterrorism Efforts,” to examine both opportunities and challenges in multilateral counterterrorism efforts. Welcoming remarks were provided by Eelco Kessels, Executive Director of the Global Center. Speakers included Eric Rosand, Director of the Prevention Project: Organizing Against Violent Extremism; Laila Bokhari, former Deputy-Minister with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former State Secretary at the Office of the Norwegian Prime Minister; Amina Rasul, Philippines Representative, ASEAN Women for Peace Registry, and Amr Magdi, Middle East And North Africa Researcher, Human Rights Watch. During the discussion, and following the panelists’ remarks, participants addressed central themes of multilateral cooperation, recognizing the importance of a principled counterterrorism approach and highlighting the challenges ahead in strengthening these efforts. Some of the issues raised during the discussion included the lack of government-civil society cooperation and the need to protect human rights and civic space.

Interventions were provided by Assistant Secretary-General Michele Coninsx, Executive Director, United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate; Aougui Niandou, Deputy Permanent Representative of Niger to the United Nations;  Rafi Shah, Chief of Policy, Knowledge Management and Coordination Branch, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism; Rebecca Skellett, Head, Strong Cities Network; Francisco Fontan, Head of Counter-Terrorism Division, European External Action Service, and Georgia Holmer, Head of Unit, Action against Terrorism, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The Global Center also hosted a virtual event on (Counter-)Terrorism, Economic Stability, and the Private Sector, through which it sought to break down traditional silos between the private sector and the fields of terrorism and counterterrorism. Welcoming remarks were provided by Tom Firestone, a Partner at Baker McKenzie, a longstanding partner of the Global Center’s and co-host of the event. Panelists included Vanda Felbab-Brown, Senior Fellow-Foreign Policy, Brookings; John Frank, Vice President, UN Affairs, Microsoft Corporation; Niall Brennan, VP, Global Head of Strategic Security Partnerships & Engagement, SAP Global Security; Mariko Silver, President and CEO, Henry Luce Foundation; and moderator Howie Wachtel, Director of Global Sanctions Advisory and Strategy, PayPal and a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Center. The panelists spoke to the changing nature of conflict, including within the pandemic, and highlighted successful private-public partnerships and collaboration across sectors working to combat dynamic security threats.

As part of this event, the Global Center was excited to formally welcome two new members to the Global Center’s Board of Directors: Laila Bokhari, former State Deputy-Minister with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a State Secretary at the Office of the Norwegian Prime Minister; and David McGowan, Vice President of Global Protection Services at Tiffany & Co. and the former President of the Board of Directors of the International Security Management Association.

For six weeks, the Global Center dedicated its social media engagement to the impacts of civil society in advancing positive change in counterterrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism efforts. Using the hashtag #CivilSocietyInclusion, the Global Center highlighted civil society impact within the context of multilateralism and the UN counterterrorism framework, including their role in rehabilitation and reintegration and the importance of empowering youth-focused civil society organizations in Kenya and Nigeria to counter violent extremism in their communities. As part of the engagements with youth-focused civil society organizations, the Global Center assembled a short video series on the different impacts and achievements of the overall project.

To watch the events and the short videos series, please visit the Global Center’s YouTube page.

From 6-10 July, the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) organized its first Virtual Counter-Terrorism week in lieu of the 2020 Counter-Terrorism Week, which was postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic following the postponement of the Seventh Review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy to the General Assembly’s 75th session.

UNOCT hosted ten webinars and interactive discussions over the course of the week under the overarching theme of “Strategic and Practical Challenges of Countering Terrorism in a Global Pandemic Environment” to discuss emerging trends and priorities such as bio and cyber terrorism, addressing the plight of victims of terrorism, and civil society and media perspectives to prevent violent extremism (PVE).

The Global Center’s Executive Director, Mr. Eelco Kessels, joined representatives from international nongovernmental organizations and media for Webinar V “Civil Society and Media Perspectives on Preventing and Countering Terrorism in a Pandemic.” Mr. Kessels’ conveyed the critical importance of meaningfully partnering with civil society in counterterrorism and PVE efforts, the obstacles to their engagement, and ways to overcome these challenges at the local, national, and international levels. In addition to conveying the perspectives from the Global Center’s partners around the world, the remarks were informed by two civil society-led workshops that the Global Center helped co-organize in advance of the UN Regional High-Level Counter-Terrorism Conferences in Abu Dhabi and Vienna, in which more than 75 civil society actors from 30 different countries participated.

In his remarks, Mr. Kessels highlighted the importance of meaningful and sustained engagement with a diverse civil society in efforts to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism. He presented several key considerations to help realize more productive and sustained relationships with civil society, including:

• Ensuring a conducive environment and legal basis are essential in realizing the contributions of civil society;
• Providing adequate and predictable funding as well as support in strengthening organizational capacities and building thematic and practical expertise; and
• Proactively involving civil society in policy formulation and program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluations processes at all levels.

He stressed that the United Nations has a specific role to play in supporting the meaningful participation of civil society actors in counterterrorism and PVE policies, programs, and practices.

On 2 July, leading up to the 2020 Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week, the Global Center launched the key recommendations and summary findings of its forthcoming Blue Sky V report. The report’s findings and recommendations suggest ways the United Nations can better leverage its comparative advantages to improve policy development, inter-agency coordination, delivery, and impact of its counterterrorism and PVE efforts in a manner that systemically accounts for human rights and civil society engagement.

In the lead up to the 2020 Virtual UN Counter-Terrorism Week, the Global Center launched the summary findings and key recommendations of the fifth iteration of its Blue Sky report series. With the generous support of the governments of the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland, the report builds on the Global Center’s previous analyses of the UN’s counter terrorism efforts. The key recommendations of the report suggest concrete ways the United Nations can better leverage its comparative advantages to improve policy development, inter-agency coordination, delivery, and impact of counterterrorism and preventing violent extremism efforts in a manner that systemically accounts for human rights and civil society engagement.

The Global Center’s Executive Director Eelco Kessels and Chief of Strategy Melissa Lefas were joined by Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director, UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate; Mr. Raffi Gregorian, Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General and Director, UN Office of Counter-Terrorism; Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Professor Willibroad Dze-Ngwa, University of Yaoundé I, Africa Network against Illiteracy, Conflict and Human Rights Abuse, Cameroon; and Ms. Mai E’Leimat, Founder and CEO of Edmaaj, Development and Social Responsibility Consulting, Jordan. Ambassador Stephan Husy, Ambassador-at-Large for International Counterterrorism, Switzerland opened the event and Mr. Huib Mijnarends, Special Envoy on Counter-Terrorism, the Netherlands, delivered closing remarks.

Recognizing the importance of reinforcing the promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law underpinning the Strategy and that the United Nations places a renewed focus on policy leadership and coordination to support the Strategy’s implementation, embedded in the wider peace and security pillar, Blue Sky V hones in on four focus areas:

• Calibrating the UN Counterterrorism Architecture
• Situating UN Counterterrorism Efforts Within the Prevention Framework
• Engaging and Supporting Civil Society and Mainstream Human Rights
• Assessing the Implementation of the Strategy

The panelists reflected on the report’s summary findings and recommendations, joined by over 175 participants via Zoom and YouTube livestream.

For more information about the Blue Sky process and report, please contact Ms. Franziska Praxl at fpraxl@globalcenter.org.

The Global Center received the Innovators Award in Global Affairs in the Security & Defense category, for addressing the root causes of violent extremism with innovative, inclusive, and human rights-based policies, partnerships, and practices. The Awards, sponsored by Network 20/20 and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, recognize those individuals and organizations at the forefront of delivering pioneering solutions to global policy challenges in the fields of sustainability, civic engagement, security, humanitarian aid, and financial inclusion.

“The Innovators Award is an encouraging testament to our dedicated team of young professionals and their work with community groups and youth organizations all across the world,” said Global Center Executive Director Eelco Kessels. “It highlights the impact that our organization and global network of experts have in a field where outdated, security-driven approaches often stand in the way of lasting solutions that are driven by communities and address real grievances.”

As the Global Center moves into a new stage of growth and development, we ask for your support to remain agile, independent, and innovative, ensuring that our programs reach those that most need our support and can make a difference in their communities.

We hope you will join us in this important effort. Please click on the See More button to learn how you can support our work, or contact info@globalcenter.org for more information.

Over the course of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Global Center hosted, presented, and participated in numerous events and functions aimed at advancing effective policy and practice around countering violent extremism, criminal justice and rule of law, and financial integrity and inclusion.

From organizing a panel on safeguarding civil society and humanitarian operations while countering terrorism at the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) to co-hosting a discussion on youth engagement and resilience against violent extremism in the Sahel, the Global Center was able to demonstrate the impact of its work on justice, security, and development, and highlight its cooperation with partners such as Senior Fellows Maji Peterx (Alternatives to Violence Project Lead Facilitator and Carefronting Nigeria Coordinator) and Phyllis Muema (Executive Director, Kenya Community Support Centre).

Global Center Reception: Celebrating Fifteen Years of Impact

At our annual reception, the Global Center celebrated its fifteen-year anniversary and welcomed existing and new partners to look ahead to an exciting new phase of growth and development. Thank you to all those who joined us in celebrating on 25 September, and a special thank you to our wonderful partners and incredible host Baker McKenzie for making the reception a success.

GCTF Panel Discussion: Safeguarding Civil Society and Humanitarian Operations

Global Center Executive Director Eelco Kessels moderated a session on “Safeguarding Civil Society and Humanitarian Operations while Countering the Financing of Terrorism,” convened during the Sixteenth GCTF Coordinating Committee Meeting. The panel was organized by the Global Center in partnership with the Governments of the Netherlands and Morocco, GCTF Co-Chairs. It featured a diverse range of experts to discuss the impact of countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) on civil society and humanitarian spaces and consider ways in which CFT aim could be furthered without harming civil society and humanitarian operations. Remarks of one of the panelists—the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, are available here.

Two Sides of the Same Coin? Operationalizing Linkages between the SDG 16 and PVE Agendas

The Global Center, the Prevention Project, and the International Civil Society Action Network co-hosted an event to explore the linkages between Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)16 and preventing violent extremism (PVE) Agendas. In welcoming remarks, Rafia Bhulai, Global Center Senior Programs Officer, cautioned that the PVE lens may not be the most appropriate or useful way through which to address many of the SDG16 targets, but that carefully considered and relevant efforts could help advance mutually reinforcing elements of the peace, security, and development agendas. Specifically, she proposed two areas of complementarity between the two agendas – by curbing illicit and terrorism finance and by promoting access to justice for all. The Global Center will further explore these issues in a forthcoming article.

Youth Engagement and Resilience against Violent Extremism in the Sahel

The Global Center, the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague, and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute – in collaboration with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Senegal to the United Nations – organized a panel on the critical role that youth play across the Sahel in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). The event was organized to provide a platform for young leaders and their advocates to directly address policy makers, implementing partners, and donors on how to better support them in their P/CVE effort and to address persistent challenges and promising interventions. Maji Peterx, Global Center Senior Fellow and Alternatives to Violence Project Lead Facilitator and Carefronting Nigeria Coordinator, provided his experiences working with youth on P/CVE efforts. A meeting summary details key takeaways from the discussion.

New Perspectives on Violent Extremism in Africa

Tracey Durner, Global Center Senior Analyst, reflected on the findings of a survey by the Institute of Security Studies of 281 P/CVE projects in East, Central, and West Africa during a panel discussion hosted at the European Union Delegation to the United Nations. She noted an increasing disconnect between the structural drivers of violent extremism often cited on the continent, and programming responses that emphasize community dialogue and awareness raising. She also highlighted the negative impact that ad-hoc, project-based funding has on the strength and core capacity of local actors. These findings draw on the Global Center’s experiences supporting the East Africa Civil Society Organizations Hub and providing small and medium grants to grassroots civil society organizations to design and implement P/CVE programming in their communities.

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For insights on all the events the Global Center participated in, please visit our twitter page, https://twitter.com/GlobalCtr.

Over the past decade, security actors in Kenya and the international community have increasingly viewed young people in Kenya’s Muslim communities as vectors for radicalization to violent extremism. A number of large scale economic development assistance programs in the country, even as they promote the intense free market entrepreneurialism that continues to leave the vast majority of Kenyans behind, are also increasingly taking on preventing violent extremism objectives. Against the backdrop of heightened international and domestic concerns over the vulnerability of Kenyan youth to violent extremism, this policy brief focuses on the hardships and priorities of youth in Kenya through the voices of young people themselves. Drawing on a series of focus group discussions conducted by the Kenya Community Support Centre in September 2018, the paper explores the daily challenges confronting young people in Mombasa County as they struggle to make ends meet in the face of joblessness, wage theft, nepotism, and political corruption. While the serious threat posed by al-Shabaab cannot be ignored, the paper argues that the overriding drive to prevent violent extremism among Kenyan youth, especially in Muslim and Somali communities, is not only disproportionate but also counterproductive, threatening to overshadow the overwhelming need for economic justice, governance accountability, and reform.

In 2018, the Global Center marked its sixth year of partnership with the Ethiopian Financial Intelligence Center (EFIC), Federal Attorney General (AG), and other stakeholders under two phases of technical assistance programming supported by the government of Denmark.

Ethiopia has made substantial progress in strengthening its anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime. The Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group recognized this progress in November 2018 when it increased Ethiopia’s compliance rating on nine Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations. Further, Ethiopia has demonstrated its ability to effectively utilize AML/CFT frameworks to detect and investigate financial crimes, as evidenced by the high profile arrests of intelligence, military, and business officials over alleged corruption and human rights abuses in November 2018.

The Global Center has been honored to support Ethiopia in these efforts and commends the EFIC, AG, and all its partners on their achievements. Key highlights from the second phase of programming (2016-2018) include:

Trainings and Capacity Development: In collaboration with the EFIC and AG, the Global Center facilitated 27 trainings for 624 participants representing 51 different institutions, organizations, and businesses in Ethiopia from 2016-2018. These efforts have contributed to the capacity development of individuals and institutions and fostered stronger relationships and information sharing pathways between institutions.

National Risk Assessment: Ethiopia finalized its national risk assessment in 2016, a critical element of compliance with the FATF standards. The findings of the national risk assessment are instrumental in advancing Ethiopia’s risk-based approach (RBA) to AML/CFT and to deepening the understanding of Ethiopia’s unique threat and vulnerability profile. Building off this process, the EFIC is leading a sectoral risk assessment for non-profit institutions and real estate as identified areas of higher risk.

Risk-Based Approach to Supervision: To advance effective compliance procedures in line with the findings of the national risk assessment, the Global Center supported the EFIC in establishing an intra-agency drafting committee to develop policy guidance on implementing a RBA to supervision. The EFIC collaborated with the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) to develop a manual on RBA supervision for financial institutions, and with other regulatory authorities to develop a similar manual for RBA supervision for designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs). To date, the EFIC and NBE have conducted joint on-site inspections of six financial institutions and are prioritizing supervisory mechanisms among identified risk-risk DNFBPs.

AML/CFT Manual and Practitioner’s Guide for Investigators and Prosecutors: In order to facilitate sustainable institutional development, a committee of local experts collaborated with the Global Center to draft an AML/CFT manual for investigators and prosecutors in an Ethiopian context. The manual provides an overview of international and domestic legal frameworks for AML/CFT, including an overview of the relevant actors, compliance obligations and processes, and sources of information that may be useful in conducting money laundering and terrorist financing investigations and prosecutions. The manual is augmented by a practitioner’s guide that offers practical guidance for conducting financial crime investigations in line with Ethiopian legal frameworks.

Three Multi-Course Training Programs on Effective Financial Crime Investigations and Prosecutions: One of the key areas highlighted in Ethiopia’s mutual evaluation and subsequent follow-up reports has been low levels of technical capacity among investigators and prosecutors pursuant to AML/CFT and financial crime investigations. Many provisions of Ethiopia’s AML/CFT law have yet to be tested in court, resulting in variances in interpretation and application. To address these challenges, the project supported three multi-training certification programs on effective financial crime investigations and prosecutions for over 110 representatives from the AG, Ethiopian Police University College (EPUC), Federal Police, Addis Ababa Police Commission, Regional Police Commissions, and Federal Investigation Bureau. Graduates of this program have been engaged by the AG in facilitating local trainings at the sub-city level, with EPUC graduates implementing an AML/CFT module into the training curriculum.

Regional Training Series on AML/CFT: In order to deepen capacities outside of the capital, a series of regional trainings were facilitated for police, investigators, and prosecutors in each of Ethiopia’s nine regions. Demonstrating its strong institutional capacity and role as experts on AML/CFT issues, trainings were led by EFIC and AG staff with the support of the Global Center consultant Mr. Biniam Shiferaw Ayalew. Trainings were conducted in Bahir Dar (Amhara region), Adama (Oromia region), Hawassa (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region), Jijiga (Somali region), Mekelle (Tigray region), Semera (Afar region), Gambela (Gambela region), Assosa (Benishangul region), and Hara (Harai region), as well as in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa for over 300 participants.

Asset Freezing and Non-Proliferation Legislation: Building upon prior trainings and gap analysis, the AG established an intra-agency committee to conduct research and draft new legislation related to the financing of weapons of mass destruction as well as legislation and procedures to strengthen asset freezing, confiscation, and management. Draft legislation on proliferation financing is awaiting approval from Parliament, and will address the final major technical gap identified by the FATF during Ethiopia’s mutual evaluation.

For more information about this program, please contact Ms. Tracey Durner at tdurner@globalcenter.org.