Maqsoud Kruse Heads UAE Delegation at 26th Coordinating Committee Meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum

His Excellency Maqsoud Kruse, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Countering Extremism and Terrorism, headed the UAE delegation at the 26th Coordinating Committee Meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), held in Brussels.

The meeting focused on the Forum’s future direction as it marks its fifteenth anniversary, providing an opportunity for member states to exchange views on ensuring the continued effectiveness of its work, including its internal structure, workstreams, the impact of its outputs, and governance framework.

Discussions also highlighted the importance of aligning states’ efforts ahead of the Ninth Review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, to be held as part of the Fourth United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week at the end of June.

In his remarks at the meeting, H.E. Kruse announced the UAE’s pledge to provide financial support to the Forum in the amount of €500,000 for 2027, as well as annual financial contributions of US$300,000 beginning in 2028.

H.E. Kruse reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening international efforts to counter extremism and terrorism in all their forms and manifestations through multilateral partnerships. His Excellency stressed the need for cooperation among all states and United Nations entities in addressing current global challenges, including combating the financing of terrorist groups, countering extremist narratives, and addressing the exploitation of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence by extremist and terrorist organizations.

The Forum’s co-chairs, represented by the European Union and Egypt, along with other participating states, commended the UAE’s financial pledge and expressed appreciation for its supportive role in advancing discussions aimed at strengthening the work of the Global Counterterrorism Forum.

The UAE is a founding member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), an informal, multilateral platform that supports United Nations efforts and complements the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Established in 2011, the Forum aims to strengthen international cooperation in countering terrorism and preventing extremism through the development of good practices and tools that support national capacity-building and the exchange of expertise among states.

The UAE also hosts Hedayah, the International Center of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, which has been headquartered in Abu Dhabi since its establishment in 2012. Hedayah is recognized as the first institution established under the GCTF framework.