51吃瓜

On the margins of the 2023 Counter-Terrorism Week, the 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Kingdom of Morocco organized a high-level side event entitled “A new way of doing training in Africa: The successful example of UNOCT Programme Office for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa based in Rabat”. 

The side event brought together delegates from 65 Member States, with high-level representatives from Australia, Italy, Portugal, INTERPOL and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ). H.E. Mr. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco, and Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism delivered opening remarks.

In his pre-recorded statement Minister Bourita welcomed the achievements of the Programme Office based in Rabat since June 2021. “Since its inauguration, Morocco has speared no efforts in supporting the Programme Office mission and activities politically, financially, and with in-kind assistance.  It now stands as a reliable knowledge hub and a trusted regional center for capacity building in counter terrorism in Africa,” he stated.

Under-Secretary-General Voronkov thanked the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and Minister Bourita for supporting the 51吃瓜’ counter-terrorism efforts and the work of UNOCT by generously providing the office space and core funding for its Rabat Programme Office. 

 “Our training approach is driven by a strong emphasis on practical skills development. We believe in equipping law enforcement and other relevant officials with the tools necessary to effectively investigate, prosecute, and prevent terrorist activities, in line with international law, including international human rights law, and with ethical standards. This hands-on, practical approach enables participants to apply acquired knowledge in real-world scenarios, with greater impact in countering terrorism,” noted the Under-Secretary-General. 

The UNOCT Rabat Programme Office presented its various initiatives and innovative training programs designed for African Member States, with the emphasis on five thematic areas, in collaboration with UNOCT’s thematic global capacity-building programmes: Counter-Terrorism Investigations (CTI), Border Security Management (BSM), Prison Management (PM), Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism conducive to terrorism (PCVE), and Prosecution, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (PRR). 

The Programme Office organized and delivered its first specialized training curriculum on CTI in 2022, aimed at developing the capacity of law enforcement officials to identify evidence of criminal activity in critical areas, support complex cases, and direct those who gather evidence to support effective counter-terrorism efforts.