Nairobi to host Global Counter-Terrorism Forum with focus on climate change impact

Kenya and Germany have proposed to lead an initiative that seeks to address the impact of climate change on violent extremism, ahead of a Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF) taking place in Nairobi in the coming week.

According to the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Director Rosalind Nyawira, the initiative will focus on the nexus between climate change and violent extremism.

"We are persuaded that the climate crisis has exacerbated factors conducive to terrorism including underdevelopment, forced displacement, food insecurity and resource competition," Dr Nyawira said on Friday while announcing Nairobi's plans to host the forum in collaboration with Egypt and the European Union.

She was joined by Egypt's Ambassador to Kenya Wael Nasreldin Attiya and the Deputy Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union Ondrej Simek.

The forum is expected to pull together 30 of its founding states including the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, China Jordan and the Russian Federation and experts in the field to share information and come up with ways to prevent and counter the vice in the East Africa region, a region that has been affected by both climate change and violent extremism.

As an indirect contributor to violent extremism, climate change has been found to foster what experts refer to as an enabling environment for violent extremism activities.

When its effects push populations into a fierce competition for already scarce resources, influence migration and worsen livelihoods; a conducive environment is created for it to thrive.

The meeting will also finalise a set of recommendations that will guide oversight and accountability mechanisms in counter-terrorism.

"Respect for the rule of law, human rights and the principles of democracy are crucial if we want to truly address the ideologies and driving forces behind violent extremism," they said.

The forum will bring together experts in the field, civil society groups and state representatives to develop and share effective interventions that respond to the complex, dynamic and widespread threat of terrorism and violent extremism.

East Africa representatives will further be expected to discuss Al-Shabaab's terror financing and propaganda and how to counter it in addition to good practices that can be adopted in prevention and countering violent extremism.