The Global Center on Cooperative Security is pleased to announce the publication of the report, “Preventing Violent Extremism in Burkina Faso: Toward National Resilience Amid Regional Insecurity.” The report is coauthored by Profs. Augustin Loada (Executive Director of the Ouagadougou-based Centre pour la Gouvernance Democratique) and Peter Romaniuk (Senior Fellow at the Global Center in New York). At a time when violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel is at the top of the regional and international agenda, the report assesses the threat to Burkina Faso and surveys sources of resilience. The report finds that Burkina Faso is vulnerable to violent extremism but the threat is not imminent, while arguing that stakeholders (the Government of Burkina Faso, its international partners and civil society groups) should take steps to prevent the emergence of violent extremism and build resilience.
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The Global Center on Cooperative Security est heureux d’annoncer la publication de la rapport, «Prévention de l’extrémisme violent au Burkina Faso: Vers une résilience nationale dans un context d’insécurité régionale». Le rapport est co-écrit par les professeurs, Augustin Loada (Directeur exécutif du centre pour la Gouvernance Démocratique basé à Ouagadougou) et Peter Romaniuk (Senior Fellow au Global Center à New York). À une époque où l’extrémisme violent en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Sahel est en tête de l’agenda régional et international, le rapport évalue la menace au Burkina Faso et passe en revue ses sources de résilience. Le rapport constate que le Burkina Faso est vulnérable à l’extrémisme violent, mais la menace n’est pas imminente, tout en démontrant que les parties prenantes (le gouvernement du Burkina Faso, ses partenaires internationaux et les groupes de la société civile) doivent prendre des mesures pour empêcher l’émergence de l’extrémisme violent et renforcer la résilience.
Il peut être téléchargé en français en cliquant ici.
Justice, human rights, and the rule of law have prominently featured in global deliberations on the post-2015 development agenda and remain fundamental components of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. With the expiration of the Millennium Development Goals initiative in 2015, a crucial opportunity now exists to begin identifying and deepening these synergies. This policy brief examines human rights and rule of law in the context of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and in relation to the wider UN system. The brief concludes with several recommendations for strengthening the strategic coherence of the UN’s rule of law-related initiatives in ways that both further the aims of the UN Global Strategy and align with a potential rule of law agenda in the post-2015 development framework.
Professional, accountable and responsive criminal justice systems are essential for addressing a range of complex security challenges while safeguarding human rights and upholding the rule of law. To be effective, the entire system, from lawmakers to law enforcement officials, prosecutors, judges, and prison administrators, and other actors involved in delivering and ensuring the accountability of justice and security services, require ongoing training and capacity development. Particularly in transitional, fragile and conflict-affected countries, developing the capacity of institutions that can uphold the rule of law and protect human rights are crucial for enhancing safety and security, strengthening accountability, promoting good governance.
This report, co-authored by the Global Center’s Alistair Millar and Matthew Schwartz, outlines a series of recommendations for the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) in developing a curricula and program agenda based on the diverse needs of a multi-national and cross-regional constituency of partner countries. Once established, the IIJ will serve as a training center dedicated to strengthening criminal justice institutions, promoting regional legal cooperation, and fostering criminal justice practitioner networks based on a respect for human rights and the rule of law. The core findings and recommendations of this report are derived from a larger European Union-supported study undertaken by an expert team led by Millar under the auspices of CIVI.POL Conseil. Based on extensive desk research, seven country visits, and consolations with more than 200 stakeholders, the study assessed criminal justice-related counterterrorism capacity building and training needs in 18 focus countries across East Africa and the Horn, the Middle East and North Africa, and West Africa the Sahel.
The Horn of Africa has long been a recipient of foreign security assistance, with significant funds increasingly devoted to supporting subregional civilian-oriented counterterrorism efforts over the past decade. Despite efforts to better coordinate delivery, counterterrorism programming in the subregion generally remains fragmented, short-term, and siloed in implementation. This article argues that it is time to rethink the international community’s approach to counterterrorism assistance to the Horn of Africa and calls for a cohesive regional approach that not only bridges the gap between security and development, but also the gap between counterterrorism and human security. It emphasizes that the international community must not only better coordinate existing streams of counterterrorism assistance to the region, but also rethink how this assistance is designed and the ways it can be delivered to complement broader subregional development and security agendas. After a brief introduction to international counterterrorism assistance to the Horn of Africa, the article examines linkages across three thematic streams of programming being delivered to the subregion: anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism; criminal justice capacity building assistance to counter terrorism; and, countering violent extremism. This discussion will highlight the need for a regional risk reduction strategy for the Horn of Africa that not only builds on the interplay of different streams of counterterrorism assistance, but on synergies across broader subregional development and security agendas as well.
Unlike traditional counterterrorism measures, which focus largely on law enforcement and military responses, countering violent extremism (CVE) programs span a broad cross-section of policy domains and has increased the range of actors involved to include those in development, conflict prevention and mitigation, education, culture, and diplomacy. Underscoring the importance of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, this brief explores the increasing roles for women in addressing conflict, violence, and extremism in South Asia.
This policy brief stems from discussions at a September 2013 workshop entitled “Strengthening Community Resilience Against Violent Extremism in South Asia: What Role for Women and Civil Society?” cohosted by CGCC and the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) and held at the National University of Singapore. The workshop provided a platform for regional experts and practitioners from a range of professional and national backgrounds to explore the gender dimension of the drivers of violence and extremism in the region and the lessons from experiences in addressing them.
The media plays an important role in terrorism and counterterrorism. Because of its capacity to relay information, frame narratives, shape public opinion, and inform both politics and policymaking, the media is a critical vehicle to convey ideas that legitimize or delegitimize terrorists and violent extremist groups and narratives. Violent extremist groups have used the media, particularly the Internet, to link local grievances to global narratives, and to radicalize and mobilize supporters. South Asia has a long history of confronting violence and extremism, particularly from groups espousing a wide variety of ideologies, including ethno-national, separatist, right and left wing, and religious (or sectarian) causes. Within this environment, South Asia’s vibrant and diverse media has often been at the forefront of a rich cultural and political discourse and plays an important role in framing and informing public opinion, and in challenging extremist ideas and acts. However, there have also been concerns about the use of the media to incite violence and perpetuate tensions between different communities.
This report analyzes the media’s important role in contemporary terrorism and argues for greater focus on the role of the media in countering violent extremism (CVE), both as a platform for communication and as a professional body that can shape perceptions, offer balanced information, and create protected spaces for critical debate and dialogue. The publication draws on a desktop literature review, discussions held during a workshop on “The Role of the Media in Addressing Terrorism and Violent Extremism in South Asia” at the Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore, and extensive dialogue with practitioners, experts, and government officials. This report offers a set of recommendations for actors at the national, regional, and international levels to consider when engaging with the media for CVE purposes in South Asia.
In preparation for this year’s G8 Summit, hosted by the United Kingdom at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland, CGCC’s Director, Alistair Millar, was invited to contribute to a collection of perspectives on priority issues facing the G8. Millar’s article focuses on the role of the G8 as a global leader on countering terrorism, with the foresight to step away and let others, such as the Global Counter Terrorism Forum, take the lead on counterterrorism capacity building.
The roles of women in international peace and security efforts have been underscored by the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000 and subsequent thematic resolutions on women, peace, and security issues. The roles of women as they relate to terrorism and counterterrorism issues, however, have remained less explored by policymakers and international counterterrorism actors. As the international community shifts from a reactive to a more preventive approach regarding terrorism and violent extremism, the need for a more comprehensive multistakeholder approach to addressing these challenges has become apparent. Yet, little attention has been paid to integrating a gender dimension into UN and many national efforts to address the problems of terrorism and violent extremism.
This policy brief explores the conceptual and operational challenges in integrating a gender dimension into counterterrorism policy and programming and offers a set of recommendations for the United Nations and other actors to consider when developing effective and sustainable counterterrorism efforts.
In 2001 the report of the UN Secretary-General on the prevention of armed conflict reiterated a pledge to move the United Nations from a “culture of reaction to a culture of prevention.” Reflecting these trends, international actors have expressed greater interest in taking a more preventive approach on terrorism and countering violent extremism issues. How the strategic objective of terrorism prevention is to be implemented, however, remains an ongoing challenge for policymakers and practitioners. This policy brief offers an overview of the prevention agenda at the United Nations and considers how the agenda relates to international counterterrorism efforts. Following an exploration of the tools and resources currently and potentially available to the Security Council, this brief outlines a series of recommendations for consideration by UN officials, member states, and relevant stakeholders for strengthening UN capacities and enabling a more dynamic, integrated, and proactive approach to the complex security challenges the United Nations confronts today.
This policy brief explores how basic principles of organizational change can help intelligence and law enforcement agencies weed out human rights abuses and build organizational cultures that promote, rather than undermine, human rights and the rule of law in their efforts to counter terrorism.
