European Union and United Nations officials met in Brussels to present early results from a joint programme that provides rapid, tailored counter-terrorism support to countries that request it.
The initiative, called the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility, is funded by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments and carried out by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the European Commission announced on Friday.
It was launched with a budget of €14 million and is designed to provide targeted assistance to help countries prevent, detect and respond to terrorism and violent extremism.
The Facility has supported 11 countries in regions including Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia since it began.
Case studies from Uganda, Iraq and Kyrgyzstan
Examples discussed at the Brussels event included support to strengthen investigation and prosecution capacities, assistance for the voluntary repatriation and reintegration of individuals from conflict zones, and work to improve the use of digital evidence while protecting vulnerable targets, the Commission said.
The global nature of the threat and the need for international cooperation were highlighted during exchanges involving the Kyrgyz Republic and other regions, EU Special Representative for Central Asia Eduards Stiprais said.
The Facility also includes dedicated funding to promote the participation and leadership of women in counter-terrorism efforts, with gender perspectives described as part of programme design and delivery.
