※One reason why there is increasing international interest in the prison context and work with prisoners is because of the role prisons can play in preventing radicalization to terrorism and terrorist recruitment and in ensuring that proper attention is paid to the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners,§ stated the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) during the opening keynote for the 1st African Forum for Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Administrations held in Rabat, Morocco from 30 每 31 January 2020. The two-day forum was hosted by Morocco＊s General Delegation for Corrections and Reintegration, under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The theme of the forum was, ※Towards a common vision centred on strengthening South-South cooperation to face the challenges and constraints associated with the management of correctional facilities§ and it had three main objectives: (i) to demonstrate the Moroccan experience in the management of penitentiary administrations in terms of security and reintegration; (ii) to unify the management of security challenges common to African countries; and (iii) to promote the modernization of prison governance on a continental scale. One topic that received prominent attention was the management of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs). Over 400 participants, including representatives of 36 African States, international organizations and academic experts, attended the forum.
CTED underlined the particular relevance of Security Council resolution 2396 (2017), in which the Security Council acknowledges that prisons can serve as potential incubators for terrorist radicalization and can serve a positive role to rehabilitate and reintegrate prisoners. CTED also highlighted the Addendum to guiding principles on foreign terrorist fighters (2018). The Addendum provides guidance on new requirements under resolution 2396 (2017) including on risk-assessment tools and intervention programs in prisons.
During the second session, CTED focused on human rights in the prison context, risk assessments, allocation of VEPs, as well as challenges, including how to support disengagement from terrorist radicalization and rehabilitation and reintegration upon release.
At the conclusion of the Forum, representatives of the 36 African States adopted the Declaration of Rabat 2020 on ※Prison management and the reintegration of detainees§, which stressed the importance of improving conditions of detention and humanizing penitentiary administrations, while also paying proper attention to respect human rights. The Rabat Declaration recommended, in particular, that Morocco＊s experience of prison management be made broadly available to other African States and that other States take advantage of Morocco＊s expertise in managing the treatment of detainees in prisons, including in cases of prisoners convicted for terrorism-related or violent extremism-related offences. The participating States agreed on a common road map with a view to facilitating the development of related initiatives between various States, as well as the organization of follow-up forums on topics to be identified, including to strengthen South-South cooperation.