Transparency data

Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism: objectives 2018 to 2019

Published 20 September 2018

1. Overview

Terrorism and violent extremism pose a significant threat to international security, global political and social stability, and economic development, and requires a robust and coordinated international response. Our counter-terrorism work is crucial to protecting the UK and our citizens and interests overseas. The government’s strategic response is set out in the UK’s counter terrorism strategy (CONTEST).

The government contributes to these objectives by collaborating with other countries to build their capacity to tackle terrorism and extremism and their impact on security and socio-economic conditions. This reinforces wider efforts to tackle conflict, build stability and contribute to global security. This supports the UK’s National Security Strategy and the UK’s Aid Strategy: Strengthening global peace, security and governance. It also helps advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2. FCO objectives on countering terrorism and violent extremism

The UK is seen as a world leader in counter-terrorism and our technical, analytical and operational expertise is highly valued. Terrorism and violent extremism impacts the economic and social development of countries and also threatens the security of the UK. The UK is helping to develop partner states’ capacity to address these threats.

This programme funds a range of projects that contribute to the international elements of HMG’s Counter Terrorism Strategy (CONTEST). Projects support one or more of the following outcomes:

• weaken the drivers of terrorism
• reduce terrorist capability
• illuminate and disrupt planned attacks
• protect against and mitigate the impact of attacks

3. Official Development Assistance (ODA) and countering terrorism and violent extremism

Terrorism and violent extremism can carry significant social and economic costs for a country. These costs include those associated with the deaths and injuries caused to victims, damage to physical infrastructure and reduced economic activity and/or investment, as well as damaging communities’ social interactions and cohesion, all of which is detrimental to economic development.

FCO countering terrorism and violent extremism programmes utilise ODA and non-ODA. ODA scoring within countering terrorism and violent extremism programmes are limited to ODA-eligible activities in DAC-listed countries.

4. Countering terrorism and violent extremism project objectives

In support of the above outcomes, this programme seeks to weaken the drivers of international terrorism and violent extremism, and mitigate the socio-political and economic impacts of terrorism and violent extremism for developing countries as well as the UK and our international partners.

Key workstreams under this programme support the development of human rights compliant criminal justice and other institutions among partner countries, including developing countries, in order to counter radicalisation, investigate and prosecute criminal cases related to terrorism, and improve security of vulnerable infrastructure.

5. Countering terrorism and violent extremism programme during financial year 2017 to 2018

During 2017 to 2018, we supported projects across all four strands of the CONTEST Strategy (PREVENT, PURSUE, PROTECT and PREPARE). Projects supported a range of ODA-eligible activities in key partner countries in the Middle East, North and East Africa, to build their capacity to counter radicalisation, conduct human rights-compliant criminal investigations, prosecutions and detentions, and protect critical infrastructure. Programme outcomes included communication campaigns to counter extremist brands and narratives, the continuing development of mechanisms to safeguard individuals vulnerable to radicalisation, improved CT/CVE legislation, and increased capacity to analyse and assess threats to improve border security.