In their words: An African perspective on terrorism

GCCS Executive Director Alistair Millar outlines the strategic approach that ISS takes on security threats.

Published on 01 March 2016 in Impact

The ISS ensures African stakeholders are included in developing the global counter-terrorism policy agenda.

A memorandum of understanding signed in 2014 with the Global Centre on Cooperative Security (GCCS) in Washington DC gives the ISS a voice on the world stage, making it a key civil society commentator and advisor on counterterrorism internationally. The ISS has worked closely with GCCS for eight years. ‘The combination of the ISS with its Africa focus, and the Global Centre with its global focus and proximity to the UN, has enabled us to increase international awareness of African perspectives on security,’ says GCCS Executive Director Alistair Millar.

Millar says the ISS plays a vital role in ensuring African stakeholders are included in the development, implementation and oversight of counter-terrorism policies. ‘The ISS is leading a more strategic approach to issues that threaten the security of Africans.’

In 2007, GCCS and the ISS helped implement the UN General Assembly’s Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Southern Africa. They have collaborated on training and helping governments to take a more principled, rule-of-law-based and preventative approach to transnational security issues.

In 2011-12 the ISS and GCCS worked on an ISS-led initiative to assist the Economic Community of West African States to develop its own counterterrorism strategy.

‘We have directly helped hundreds of individuals on important issues including human rights and terrorism case development.’

	The ISS is leading a more strategic approach to issues that threaten the security of Africans
	– Alistair Millar, Executive Director, Global Centre on Cooperative Security