Egypt has assumed the co-leadership of an influential global body shaping counter-terrorism policies despite condemnation of its appointment over Cairo’s “abuse of international counterterrorism norms”.
Egypt formally took over as a co-chair, with the European Union, of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) at a meeting of the organisation’s coordinating committee in Cairo.
“We are honoured to be hosting the first GCTF Coordinating Committee meeting co-chaired with the European Union, in which all parties underscored their collective commitment to continue fighting this global scourge,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in opening remarks.
Charles Fries, the deputy secretary general of the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic body, told the meeting that “tackling the scourge of terrorism” in Africa would be a “strategic priority” of the EU’s joint tenure with Egypt, which runs until 2025.
“The EU is committed to assuring the GCTF is dynamic, action-oriented, and remains fit-for-purpose,” said Fries.
The GCTF is an international organisation that was established in New York in September 2011 and works closely with the United Nations to promote the global body’s own counter-terrorism strategy.
Its 30 members also include Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Algeria, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, and many individual European states.
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