In an effort to enhance its analytical capacity and its engagement with the research community, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) in February 2015 launched the Global Counter-Terrorism Research Network. The network currently consists of over 100 leading think tanks and research institutions from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Oceania. Engagement through the network enables CTED to enhance its analytical capacity, and to cooperate closely with the global research community and research units of international, regional, and sub-regional organizations, with the aim of supporting the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s efforts to promote Member States’ implementation of relevant Council resolutions. It also supports the Committee and CTED to keep abreast of emerging terrorist trends and developments and identify current challenges, as well as effective approaches to addressing them.
A second open meeting of the Committee with the Global Research Network was organized at the United Nations in New York on 16 November 2017. This was preceded by a full day’s discussions at New York University (NYU) between representatives of the network and CTED experts.
The open meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee focused on three main topics: (i) implementation of Security Council resolution 2178 (2014) in the context of the challenge of returning and relocating foreign terrorist fighters; (ii) national practices on countering violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism; and (iii) the protection of civilian (“soft”) targets.
Panelists’ remarks and presentations can be found below. A more comprehensive summary of the open meeting will follow shortly.
Webcast
The webcast of the open meeting can be watched .
Photos
Pictures from the NYU event and the Counter-Terrorism Committee are available .
Remarks/presentations
Presentation by Mr. El Mostafa Rezrazi, OCP Policy Center, Rabat
Statement by Ms. Emman El-Badawy, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Statement as delivered by Mr. Matthew Levitt, Washington Institute For Near East Policy
Statement by Ms. Cheryl Frank, Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria