Morocco and the European Union (EU) launched, on the occasion of the 21st meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), on Thursday in Cairo, an initiative on “Education for the Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism Leading to Terrorism”.
This initiative was launched in partnership with the Center of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, “Hedayah”.
In a video capsule introducing this initiative, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita, highlighted the role of education as a powerful tool to prevent and counter radicalism and violent extremism, and eradicating extremist ideologies that thrive in precarious environments.
Bourita said access to education enables individuals to develop the skills needed to challenge extremist narratives and ideologies, and promote peace.
He added that this initiative bears witness to the privileged partnership and common commitment between the Kingdom of Morocco and the European Union for the promotion of peace, security and development.
For his part, Josep Borell, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stressed that this initiative will contribute to developing more tolerant and resilient societies in the face of terrorism and violent extremism. .
Under this two-year (2023-2025) initiative, tailor-made Train-the-Trainer (ToT) programs will be designed and delivered for the benefit of educators, with the aim of building learner resilience. against violent extremism.
A series of indicators will also be developed and implemented to help and support governments’ efforts to monitor and evaluate programs and policies to prevent and combat violent extremism in the educational arena.
It should be noted that Morocco ceded, at the beginning of the meeting, the presidency of the Forum to Egypt, after the Kingdom assumed its presidency for three consecutive terms, jointly with the Netherlands during the period between 2015 and 2019, with Canada between 2019 and 2022, and with the European Union since September 2022.
Egypt will chair the Forum until 2025 jointly with the European Union.
During its presidency of the Forum, Morocco assumed coordination tasks and played a pioneering and effective role in promoting a collective approach within this mechanism.
Morocco’s approach to managing the work of the Forum was also characterized by a spirit of cooperation, teamwork, efficiency and a firm attachment to the principles of solidarity and international cooperation, in accordance with the High Guidelines of the King Mohammed VI, aimed at strengthening the pioneering role of the Kingdom as a responsible and effective player in international multilateral action.
In this regard, Morocco has expressed its firm commitment to defending the priorities of the African continent within the framework of the work of the Global Counterterrorism Forum, in order to provide innovative, adaptable and dynamic responses to the challenges of security and stability. in the mainland.