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Terrorist attacks in Sousse, Tunis, Beirut and the Sinai clearly show that hardly any country in the Arab world is immune to the threat posed by jihadi terrorism. Despite their different political agendas, countries in the region have been taking unprecedented steps to identify local factors in radicalisation and recruitment to violent extremism, and to prevent and counter these processes.

The Russian focus on countering extremism and terrorism has gradually shifted from a primarily home-grown problem in the northern Caucasus towards international engagement against global jihadi movements. At the same time, Moscow is sceptical about extremism being used as a 'geopolitical instrument to rearrange spheres of influence'.

Despite recurrent difficulties, the international community has developed an extensive repertoire of legal and institutional tools for global cooperation to counter terrorism. In the light of the rise of jihadi movements like ISIL/Da'esh, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram, counterterrorism efforts have increasingly shifted towards countering violent extremism (CVE) as a threat to peace and security.

The fight against terrorism is a key element in the United States' national security policy. The strategy for Countering Violent Extremism launched by the Obama administration in 2011 signalled a turn away from a counterterrorism policy dominated by law enforcement and intelligence towards a comprehensive strategy based on engagement with broader policy communities. Please click here for the full publication in PDF format