Khalid Koser

♀️ Women are at the heart of building safer, more inclusive, and more resilient societies. From leading peacebuilding efforts to strengthening community cohesion and preventing violence, their voices, actions, and leadership are indispensable. On #InternationalWomensDay2026 , we celebrate the strength, leadership, and resilience of #women in communities around the world. At GCERF, we remain committed to investing in the leadership of women and women-led civil society organisations at the forefront of prevention, peacebuilding, and community resilience. 🎯 When women have the opportunity to lead, communities thrive. #WomensDay #WomensDay2026 #WomenEmpowerment @AusAmbCT @CanadaFP @CanadaDev @DanishMFA @eu_eeas @Ulkoministerio @francediplo @GermanyDiplo @ItalyMFA @MFAKOSOVO @MFA_Lu @DutchMFA @MFATNZ @NorwayMFA @Portugal_MoFA @MofaQatar_EN @SpainMFA @SweMFA @SwissMFA @FCDOGovUK @StateDept @stefanomanservi @GCERF_ED

Register Now: Online Dialogue on Strategic Communications for Rehabilitation & Reintegration (12 March) - mailchi.mp/gcerf/join-the…

🤝 Partnership in Action GCERF and the @UniversityLeeds are proud to announce their partnership to advance a shared mission: building public trust and strengthening support for efforts to prevent violent extremism. Our collaboration will kick off with a joint community of practice event, where we will share best practices and evidence on how rehabilitation and reintegration programmes can foster trust through transparent communication. Together, we aim to drive cutting-edge research with practical impact, helping those working in rehabilitation and reintegration reduce stigma, overcome barriers, and translate knowledge into actionable steps. By doing so, we can enhance public trust and make prevention efforts more effective. Stay tuned for more updates!

📖 Read this powerful op-ed by Carol Bellamy, former UNICEF Executive Director and former Chair of the GCERF Governing Board, on why prevention must remain at the centre of global counterterrorism efforts following US withdrawal and funding cuts⬇️

📢 GCERF Launches its Global Strategy 2026-29 for Preventing Violent Extremism and Terrorism. This year, the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism is observed amid rising global instability. Armed conflicts are at their highest level in three decades, while shrinking development and humanitarian resources place additional strain on fragile communities, increasing the risk of violent extremism. Against this backdrop, GCERF has launched its new four-year strategy, responding to an urgent need to scale community-based prevention efforts, a cornerstone of sustainable peace and security. The strategy focuses on: ✅ Scaling community-based prevention programmes ✅ Strengthening evidence-driven approaches ✅ Deepening partnerships to address evolving extremist threats 📌 Learn more about how GCERF’s new strategy is shaping the future of community-led prevention: gcerf.org/wp-content/upl… @AusAmbCT @CanadaFP @CanadaDev @DanishMFA @eu_eeas @Ulkoministerio @francediplo @GermanyDiplo @ItalyMFA @MFAKOSOVO @MFA_Lu @DutchMFA @MFATNZ @NorwayMFA @Portugal_MoFA @MofaQatar_EN @SpainMFA @SweMFA @SwissMFA @FCDOGovUK @StateDept @stefanomanservi @GCERF_ED

Honoured to host Prof. Dr. Khalid Koser (@GCERF_ED), Founding Executive Director of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, Professor of Conflict, Peace and Security at the University of Maastricht, and Member of the Governing Board at The Andan Foundation, at the Global Citizens House in Davos. His visit formed part of our Free Global Cities Investor Roundtable, held in partnership with The Andan Foundation, a Swiss humanitarian non-profit supporting people displaced by conflict, war, and climate change. Free Global Cities offer a unique opportunity to design efficient administrative and legal frameworks from the outset, advancing freedom, self-determination, and improved living conditions. The Andan Free Global City initiative aims to provide refugees and other migrants forced to leave their homes with the opportunity to live, work, study, create, start businesses, and build new lives for themselves and their families. “Free Global Cities: The Future Leaders in Migration and Public Governance”, edited by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman at Henley & Partners, explores this transformative approach to global migration. Get your copy here: bloomsbury.com/uk/free-global…

Prof. Dr. Khalid Koser, Executive Director at the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund and a Member of the Governing Board at the Andan Foundation, unpacks free global cities and the mobility divide as part of the Henley Global Mobility Report January 2026 henleyglobal.com/publications/g…

🗓️ As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect on a year of challenges - armed conflicts at a 30-year high, shrinking development and humanitarian resources, and growing threats from violent extremism and terrorism. Yet, amidst these difficulties, hope and resilience endure. This year, GCERF sustained 67 active grants across fragile contexts, signed new investments in Syria and North Macedonia, expanded prison programmes in Kyrgyzstan, and strengthened rehabilitation and reintegration programmes across Central Asia, Iraq, and Northeast Syria. We also convened our second replenishment conference in New York and approved our new Global Strategy for 2026–2029, setting a clear path forward. Looking ahead, additional grant investments are expected in Burkina Faso, Niger, the Philippines, and Somalia, continuing to support locally grounded prevention efforts. Thank you to our financial partners and implementing partners for your trust, collaboration, and commitment to safer, more resilient communities. Wishing you happy holidays and a peaceful new year! 🎉 GCERF will be taking a short digital break and will be back online with inspiring and powerful content on 5 January 2026.

Wrapping up a highly productive Board Meeting! 💐 Thank you to all Board Members for their continued commitment and support to GCERF. We are grateful to the European Union for hosting this important meeting. Following constructive discussions, all decisions along with the budget and strategic plan were formally approved. We remain committed to preventing violent extremism and terrorism. @AusAmbCT @CanadaFP @CanadaDev @DanishMFA @eu_eeas @Ulkoministerio @francediplo @GermanyDiplo @ItalyMFA @MofaJapan_en @MFAKOSOVO @MFA_Lu @DutchMFA @MFATNZ @NorwayMFA @Portugal_MoFA @MofaQatar_EN @SpainMFA @SweMFA @SwissMFA @FCDOGovUK @StateDept @stefanomanservi

📢 This morning at the @PressClubBXLEU , ahead of the second part of our Governing Board meeting, GCERF held a press conference to address an urgent challenge: around 26,500 people, mostly children, remain in the Al Hol and Al Roj camps in northeast Syria. Without structured repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration, these children risk becoming the next generation of terrorists. Mr @stefanomanservi , GCERF Chair of the Governing Board, joined H.E. @XSvecla , Minister of Interior of Kosovo, @GCERF_ED , GCERF Executive Director and Dr Lilla Schumicky-Logan, Deputy Executive Director & Head of Portfolio Management to highlight the collective responsibility of the EU and the wider international community to break this cycle of violence. Minister Sveçla also emphasised Kosovo’s role as a leading example in the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from the camps. With support from the EU and other key financial partners, GCERF has already enabled over 8,600 returnees to reintegrate safely and is expanding programmes to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, alongside implementing the Global Rehabilitation and Reintegration Mechanism (GRRM) - a crucial step toward ultimately closing the camps. Speakers engaged in an open and constructive dialogue with journalists, underscoring the international community’s vital role in safeguarding security, upholding humanitarian standards, and strengthening strategic influence in this fragile region. We thank journalists for their active participation, as well as Press Club Brussels Europe for its support. @AusAmbCT @CanadaFP @CanadaDev @DanishMFA @eu_eeas @Ulkoministerio @francediplo @GermanyDiplo @ItalyMFA @MofaJapan_en @MFAKOSOVO @MFA_Lu @DutchMFA @MFATNZ @NorwayMFA @Portugal_MoFA @MofaQatar_EN @SpainMFA @SweMFA @SwissMFA @FCDOGovUK @StateDept

📢 The 23rd GCERF Board Meeting is underway in Brussels. We are grateful to the European Union for hosting this important gathering. Productive discussions on the evolving global landscape of violent extremism, GCERF’s new strategic approach to prevention, and reflections on our replenishment campaign, along with the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. 🌐 Participants also had the opportunity to engage directly with our Regional Managers for updates from East Africa, Central Asia, Iraq, Syria, and the Sahel, as well as insights on emerging partnerships between GCERF and the mining sector. These exchanges offered Board members a deeper understanding of our programmes and the contexts in which we support local partners. At a time when funding and global challenges remain complex, GCERF continues to stand with communities on the front lines of prevention. 🤝 Together, we can build lasting solutions to strengthen peace and prevent violent extremism and terrorism. @AusAmbCT @CanadaFP @CanadaDev @DanishMFA @eu_eeas @Ulkoministerio @francediplo @GermanyDiplo @ItalyMFA @MofaJapan_en @MFAKOSOVO @MFA_Lu @DutchMFA @MFATNZ @NorwayMFA @Portugal_MoFA @MofaQatar_EN @SpainMFA @SweMFA @SwissMFA @FCDOGovUK @StateDept @CVECenterAlbania @stefanomanservi

🎉 Celebrating Women Leaders in P/CVE! Today, GCERF hosted the closing ceremony for the 2024-25 Carol Bellamy Leadership Award! Launched in 2022, this Award empowers inspiring women to drive impactful projects at the intersection of women’s leadership and Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) and terrorism. 🌍 Thanks to the generous support of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Award expanded to 19 exceptional awardees in 2024-25, each receiving USD 2,000 to implement their visionary projects. As part of GCERF’s commitment to localisation and sustainability, the “Torchbearer” concept was introduced: women-led organisations from GCERF’s local partner network mentor awardees and support them in bringing their projects to life. Meet this year’s awardees and torchbearers ⬇️ @AuswaertigesAmt @AA_stabilisiert

Highlights from GCERF Replenishment – Luxembourg 🇱🇺 💐 We are grateful to the Government of Luxembourg for its contribution of EUR 2 million to support our programmes in the Sahel. Luxembourg emphasised the importance of supporting civil society and addressing the root causes of radicalisation to build strong and resilient communities. ⬇️ Check out the remarks of the representative of Luxembourg’s @MFA_Lu

📌 Highlights from GCERF Replenishment – Kosovo It was an honour to welcome the President of the Republic of Kosovo, H.E. Ms. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, at our pledging conference. @VjosaOsmaniPRKS 🇽🇰 Kosovo has been at the forefront of the rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) of returnees from Al Hol and Al Roj camps in northeastern Syria, repatriating a significant number of Kosovar citizens and offering comprehensive support, including psychosocial and economic reintegration programmes. Since 2021, GCERF has invested over USD 7 million in Kosovo through local partners to support government efforts in rehabilitating citizens and breaking the cycle of violence and radicalisation. Among more than 150 women and children repatriated and reintegrated, there have been zero cases of recidivism, demonstrating the effectiveness of this partnership. We are also grateful that the Republic of Kosovo has committed to pledging for GCERF, becoming not only a partner country but also a financial partner. Watch an excerpt of H.E. President Osmani-Sadriu’s speech here ⬇️

Violent extremism affects communities worldwide. By supporting @theGCERF, the EU helps local partners offer hope, opportunity, and resilience by addressing root causes before they turn into violence. This is #EUForeignPolicy in action! 🔗 link.europa.eu/W3mVRY

At the @theGCERF Replenishment Conference (25 Sept, New York), @NCTC_Kenya DG Mr. Kibiego Kigen affirmed Kenya’s support. Kenya sees GCERF not just as a fund — but a strategic investment in peace, trust & resilience against violent extremism. #TuweTayariKuilinda #SecureKE #StayVigilant #SeeSomethingSaySomething

(3/4) But today, the risks are greater than ever: resources are dwindling, trust is eroding, and political obstacles block engagement where it’s needed most. 🌐 That’s why we are doubling down with a model that’s lean, #locally led, #globally connected. @GCERF_ED

(4/4)🎯 In a room with Heads of States, Ministers and High-level Leaders, our ED said that with their support, GCERF will expand to 3 new countries, reach 1.5M more people at direct risk, and help 20,000 with rehabilitation & reintegration in the next two years. @stefanomanservi @GCERF_ED

📢 The pledges totaling USD 44 million made will help create a safer world, where terrorism has no place and communities are resilient against violent extremism. 🤝 Thanks to the Federal Republic of #Germany for hosting and the Republic of #Chad for co-hosting this vital meeting. Prevention is a safe investment in today’s volatile world. We are grateful to all the countries who pledged their support to GCERF. Together, we can #PreventExtremism. @stefanomanservi @AusAmbCT @CanadaFP @CanadaDev @DanishMFA @eu_eeas @Ulkoministerio @francediplo_EN @GermanyDiplo @ItalyMFA @MofaJapan_en @MFAKOSOVO @MFA_Lu @DutchMFA @MFATNZ @NorwayMFA @Portugal_MoFA @MofaQatar_EN @SpainMFA @AuswaertigesAmt @GovtofMacedonia @NigeriaGov @GovNigeria @AbdoulayeDiop8 @EU_FPI @Marocdiplo_EN @AlbGov @Somalia @VjosaOsmaniPRKS @primature_td @presidencetd @SweMFA @SwissMFA @FCDOGovUK @StateDept @GCERF_ED

💡 “GCERF is a catalyst. From the very beginning, we build sustainability into our models - replicable solutions that can reach areas without donor support.” Watch Ms. Yetunde Adegoke, GCERF’s National Advisor in Nigeria, explain GCERF’s role at the Northwest Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) Summit in Kaduna. A powerful reminder of how partnerships are transforming the fight against violent extremism, showing that building sustainable models of resilience is key to preventing recruitment and enabling communities to thrive in peace. youtu.be/Rkja4E10Czc?si…