Priority Sustainable Counterterrorism Initiative

The Priority Sustainable Counterterrorism initiative engages policymakers, practitioners, and academics from the local to the international level on sustainable solutions to security issues that lead to increased terrorism and violent extremism. Initiative efforts offer solutions to the systemic inequalities, unintentional oversights, capacity restraints, and differences in social or political approach that foster the distrust and grievances bad actors exacerbate. This initiative is multiregional and multidisciplinary – a partner in bridging the gaps between policy and practice. 

Priority Sustainable Counterterrorism hinges on prevention, is largely nonkinetic, and is implemented through a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches across sectors, actors, and levels. Targeted adjustments to processes and policies can drastically improve the coordination and implementation necessary for peace and development programming to affect positive and lasting change. 

Priority policies are those that can be enacted in the short-term to mitigate complex and expansive issues; these short-term solutions support and are a part of long-term progress. Recommendations are evidence-based and connect issues with sustainable solutions by following a unique six-step model. 

Live Efforts/Projects: 

Localization: Better supporting and working with civil society organizations 

• Dossier: Supporting CSOs to Mitigate the Spread of Terrorism in the Sahel Insights from West African NGOs 
• Insights From West African NGOs

Integrating Security & Development (without over-securitizing development) 

• Integrating U.S. Military Assistance With Conflict Prevention and Stabilization in the Sahel 

Positive Prevention Framework 

• How to Engage With Children: A Case Study for Prevention Implementation in Kenya (coming 2024)