Khalid Koser

@mlnrgovgh @ArmahKofiBuah @GOLDCOUNCIL @hoyamcg @GChamberofMines @GhanaGOLDBOD @IQuaicoe_GH @tonycarroll @WorldBankGroup @NewmontCorp @dfat @AuswaertigesAmt @NorwayMFA @MinBZ @SpainMFA

@mlnrgovgh @ArmahKofiBuah @GOLDCOUNCIL @hoyamcg @GChamberofMines @GhanaGOLDBOD @IQuaicoe_GH @NereEmiko @WorldBankGroup @NewmontCorp @AuswaertigesAmt @NorwayMFA @MinBZ @SpainMFA

🌍 Proud to be featured in @LeTemps Our Regional Manager, Ms. Alessia Polidoro, shares insights into the complex and far-reaching implications of illegal gold mining (#galamsey) in #Ghana. Beyond its devastating environmental and social impacts, #galamsey underscores the multifaceted risks shaped by entrenched interests, networks of actors, and interconnected risks that extend from local communities to regional stability. Addressing these challenges requires moving beyond a narrow focus on illegal mining to better understand the drivers, enabling conditions, and wider security implications. 📄 Read the full article in Le Temps: bit.ly/3UNYZR1

🌍 Meet the 2026 Carol Bellamy Leadership Award Torchbearers. First up: West Africa! The Carol Bellamy Leadership Award (CBLA) honours the legacy of Carol Bellamy, former Chair of GCERF’s Governing Board, by empowering women leaders and women-led organisations working to prevent violent extremism and terrorism. 🤝Each award provides USD 2,000 to support locally driven initiatives that create positive change in communities. In each country, a women leader or women-led organisation is selected by a Torchbearer - GCERF partner organisations locally based who identified, mentored, and monitored awardees. Thanks to the continued support of @AuswaertigesAmt, alongside additional support from Carol Bellamy herself, the award has expanded its reach to 24 countries in 2026 ! And the awardees from West Africa are: 🎉 Ghana | Awardee: Martha Inspires Foundation, led by Martha Anabila | Torchbearer: @norsaac 🎉 Nigeria | Awardee: Youth in Action, led by Maryam Hassan | Torchbearer: @murnakatsina 👏 Through their commitment to empowering women and supporting locally led solutions, the awardees are helping build safer, more resilient communities across West Africa. 👉 Join us in celebrating these inspiring women leaders and the organisations empowering their journeys! Stay tuned as we spotlight awardees from other regions in the coming weeks. @AuswaertigesAmt @norsaac @murnakatsina

🌍 Prevention starts at the community level. Sustaining it takes global commitment. For over a decade, the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) has invested in locally led efforts to strengthen community resilience, rebuild trust between communities and institutions, and address the conditions that can lead to violent extremism. As conflicts intensify and international cooperation and development resources face growing pressure, prevention must remain a priority. 📍On 21 October in New York, GCERF and @NorwayUN brought together Permanent Representatives and senior partners for Renewing Prevention: A High-Level Conversation on Investing in Peace, Resilience and Prevention. 👉 The lunch marks the launch of GCERF’s Third Replenishment, leading to a high-level pledging conference in 2027. It is an opportunity to renew political commitment, strengthen partnerships and mobilise sustained investment in locally led prevention. Investing in communities today helps build a safer, more peaceful future for us all. @NorwayUN @NorwayMFA @AuswaertigesAmt @EU_Commission @MofaQatar_EN @MinBZ @MofaJapan_en @KSAmofaEN @GCERF_ED @stefanomanservi

📍 Strengthening Partnerships and Community Resilience in Kyrgyzstan From 5–9 October, GCERF’s Regional Manager for Central Asia, Mr. Gianluigi Lopes, visited Kyrgyzstan to engage with government institutions, international partners and local actors working to prevent violent extremism and strengthen community resilience. During the visit, meetings with government counterparts, the @EUinKyrgyzstan, @franceaukg, the embassies of Germany and Japan in Kyrgyzstan, the @ICRC, and Local Task Forces (LTFs) focused on ongoing and planned activities, progress and challenges, and opportunities to strengthen future cooperation. 👉 Strong partnerships and local leadership are essential to building resilient communities, strengthening social cohesion and supporting sustainable efforts to prevent violent extremism. By connecting international cooperation with locally led action, GCERF and its partners are helping communities in Kyrgyzstan build resilience and create opportunities for a more peaceful future. @EUinKyrgyzstan @franceaukg @ICRC

🤝 Connecting with the peacebuilding community at the #GenevaPeaceForum On 13 October, GCERF took part in the Peacebuilding Marketplace at the Geneva Peace Forum, sharing our work and exchanging ideas with participants from across the field. We extend our sincere thanks to the organisers of #GPF26 for creating this valuable space for dialogue, exchange and collaboration across the peacebuilding community. 💐 A warm thank you to everyone who visited our stand and engaged with us. We look forward to continuing these conversations and strengthening collaboration to prevent violent extremism and build more resilient communities. @CICG_Geneva @Geneve_int

🕊️ From conflict to reintegration: why must mental health be part of the peacebuilding process at every stage? To mark World Mental Health Day, GCERF, together with the @BerghofFnd, @Interpeace_Org, @MaandeeqMentalH and @UNDP, brought together peacebuilders and mental health professionals to discuss Connecting Mental Health and Peacebuilding Across the Conflict Cycle. 💬 As Dr. Linda Hoxha, Teaching Assistant at the Department of Psychology, Instituti i Psikologjisë at the University of Prishtina, Kosovo reminded us: “Return is not the end of the crisis, it is the beginning of a much longer process.” Reintegration requires more than returning home. It means addressing the lasting psychosocial impacts of conflict and supporting people as they rebuild their lives and relationships. GCERF’s Deputy Executive Director, Lilla Schumicky-Logan, also highlighted the link between young people’s mental health and radicalisation, particularly online: 💬 “What we are seeing today across the world is that the mental health of young people has an incredible effect in radicalisation, especially when it comes to online settings.” The discussion reinforced a central message: Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) must be integrated into peacebuilding across the conflict cycle, with people’s lived experiences shaping the approaches and policies that affect them. 💐 Thank you to all speakers, including Mohammed Ali from Resonate! Yemen and Jeyana Ahmed from Salam for Hope Foundation for sharing their insights, and to all participants for contributing to this important exchange. 👉 Sustainable peace must address not only violence itself, but also its lasting impact on people and communities. @UniPrishtina @ResonateYemen @BerghofFnd @Interpeace_Org @MaandeeqMentalH @UNDP

💡 How can policymakers respond when climate pressures increase the risks associated with violent extremism? At the #BCSC2026, Germany’s Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Dr @AussenMinDE, referenced the Nairobi Toolkit on the Climate-Security Nexus in his keynote address. 📄 The Toolkit helps governments, civil society and practitioners understand how climate-related pressures interact with local grievances, insecurity and violent extremism, and identify key recommendations for policy and practice on how to address the nexus. It draws on two years of research, seven expert workshops and consultations across the climate, development and security sectors. The Toolkit was developed through @theGCTF Initiative on Addressing the Nexus Between Climate Change and Violent Extremism, co-led by @AuswaertigesAmt and @GovtOfKenya, with GCERF as implementing partner. The next step is the implementation of the toolkit at both the programmatic and policy levels. For that, GCERF counts on the support of its partners and stakeholders. It is time to transform a challenge into an opportunity for prevention and peace. 👉 Read the Full Speech of H.E. Dr @AussenMinDE here: auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsr… @AuswaertigesAmt @GovtOfKenya @NCTC_Kenya @theGCTF @AndreAR1025 @PalazzoloKatya @stefanomanservi

🌍 Climate change is not only an environmental challenge. It is reshaping the conditions in which armed groups recruit, operate, and sustain themselves At the #BCSC2026, GCERF, @adelphi_berlin, and @UNIDIR convened a side event exploring climate-induced fragility in areas affected by violent extremism and terrorism, moderated by @AndreAR1025, GCERF's Head of Performance and Impact Unit. Three key insights emerged: 🔹 Prevention must be forward-looking. Anticipating vulnerabilities before they escalate is essential to preventing climate-related pressures from fueling instability and violent extremism. 🔹 The links run in both ways. Climate shocks can undermine livelihoods and trust - creating openings these groups may exploit. At the same time, P/CVE and climate responses can unintentionally deepen environmental pressures and grievances. 🔹 Climate sensitivity must become part of how we work. P/CVE approaches must integrate climate realities into prevention, peacebuilding, rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. 👉 One message stood out: Supporting civil society is necessary and the most effective way to address the nexus between climate and security – including violent extremism, and we should embrace focused and localised approaches. 💐 Our sincere thanks to speakers Siobhan O'Neil, Aisha Omar, @kasinganeti_t and @LRuettinger for an open, thoughtful and highly insightful discussion - and to the organisers of the Berlin Climate and Security Conference for bringing together such a diverse community to advance this critical dialogue. 🌱 The climate-security nexus is not a future challenge. It is already shaping the realities in which peace, security and prevention must operate. @AuswaertigesAmt @adelphi_berlin @UNIDIR @ClimateDiplo @stefanomanservi

🌱 A new step for rehabilitation and reintegration in Burkina Faso On 23rd September, the "Reconstruire" Project officially launched its activities at the High-Security Prison in Burkina Faso, marking GCERF’s first investment in prison-based rehabilitation and reintegration programming in the country. As part of GCERF’s work on Rehabilitation and Reintegration (R&R), the project will pilot a context-sensitive approach combining screening, engagement with religious leaders, psychosocial support, and vocational training to support rehabilitation and future reintegration. 🤝 The launch brought together prison authorities and key institutional stakeholders, including a representative of the Minister of Justice and the Director General of the Prison Administration, which was key to creating the conditions for this initiative to move forward. 💐 We thank @MFA_Lu and the @NorwayMFA for their continued support, as well as the members of the Country Support Mechanism (CSM) for their participation and engagement in this important milestone. 👉 This lays the foundation for continued collaboration to strengthen rehabilitation and reintegration approaches in Burkina Faso. @UnijedAfrique @UFCDori

🤝Pleased to continue engaging with @UN_CTED. ASG Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, and @stefanomanservi, Chair of GCERF's Governing Board, discussed avenues for joint action to advance #CVE, and strengthen States’ meaningful engagement with civil society organisations, and communities. 🌍 Looking forward to strengthening our joint efforts.

🌍 In case you missed it: GCERF and the @AfDB_Group join forces Earlier this week, on the margins of #UNGA81, GCERF and @AfDB_Group signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen the prevention of violent extremism, community resilience and development investment across Africa. Hosted by the @AfricanUnionUN, the signing brought together different perspectives on how prevention, peace, security and development can be better connected: 🤝 Senior Vice President of the African Development Bank Group @ML_AkinOlugbade highlighted the importance of putting communities at the centre of these efforts, while GCERF’s Governing Board Chair @stefanomanservi emphasised the value of connecting community-level knowledge and locally led prevention with wider development investment and economic opportunity. Ambassador Deputy Yabesh Monari of Kenya to the United Nations voiced his country's support for this partnership, and for African-led, nationally owned, community-centred approaches to prevention and resilience. 💐 Thank you to the @AfricanUnionUN, @AfDB_Group , @KenyaMissionUN, @GovtOfKenya, and all the colleagues and partners who helped bring this partnership to this stage. This signature marks a beginning, not a conclusion. We look forward to the work ahead - for a more peaceful, resilient and prosperous Africa. 👉 Learn more here: devdiscourse.com/article/bus…

🤝 GCERF's Governing Board's Chair, @stefanomanservi met with Dr Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS). 👉 On the agenda: GCERF’s priorities in Central Asia, funded programmes in Uzbekistan, and opportunities to further support R&R efforts, notably through the Central Asia Regional Expert Council (REC) on the R&R of Returnees from Conflict Zones. GCERF looks forward to advancing this work with ISRS. @stefanomanservi @GCERF_ED

🗨️ “This partnership reflects the simple but important idea that investment in prevention of violent extremism is also an investment in sustainable development,” said @stefanomanservi, Chair of GCERF's Governing Board. Today in New York, on the margins of #UNGA81, GCERF and the @AfDB_Group marked the signing of a Letter of Intent - and, as @GCERF_ED Dr. Khalid Koser highlighted, the beginning of what we hope will become a practical and ambitious partnership. At the heart of it is a simple belief: We cannot separate prevention from development. 🤝 This partnership brings together complementary strengths: The African Development Bank’s scale, development expertise and reach across the continent, and GCERF’s experience in locally led prevention and working closely with communities, civil society and governments. 💐 Thank you to our hosts, partners and colleagues for their commitment to building a more peaceful, resilient and prosperous Africa. 👉 Read the Full Press Release: afdb.org/en/news-and-events/… @AfDB_Group @_AfricanUnion @AUC_PAPS @AfricanUnionUN

🎓 Celebrating new beginnings in Aden, Yemen We are proud to celebrate the graduation of 60 young women and men who completed four weeks of vocational training supported through our grantee, @DeemYemen. The training equipped 30 young men with skills in electrical extension and solar power system and 30 young women with sewing skills. All graduates also received toolkits to support them in putting their newly acquired skills into practice. 👉 At GCERF, we believe that meaningful youth empowerment does not end when the training does. As a next step, the graduates will engage with private-sector partners, providing them with real opportunities to start their own businesses or pursue employment with established companies. 👏 Congratulations to all 60 graduates on this important achievement! @EU_Commission @EU_FPI @WzartDn @MinistrySAL @YemenMTEVT

🌐 169 attendees. One critical issue: online radicalisation. Addressing it requires innovative, evidence-based approaches - and above all, listening to the people closest to the problem. That is exactly what happened today, at GCERF's Global Community of Practice (GCoP) on Online Radicalisation. A few takeaways that stayed with us: 🔹Online radicalisation is a hybrid and relational process. Radicalisation does not occur solely through digital exposure. 🔹Young people are the most powerful counter-messengers. Some of the most effective interventions shared were content designed, produced, and driven by young people themselves. 💡 And there's real cause for hope. In the Philippines, @idealsorgph, through a GCERF-funded programme, is strengthening community resilience by engaging trusted religious leaders as messengers and promoting youth-led prevention through youth patrollers and peace monitors. 💐 A heartfelt thank you to our moderator, Dr @elisa_orofino , and to our speakers, Albert Berisha, Jamuna Oehlmann, Richard Chalk, and Mikhaela Dimpas for so generously sharing their expertise and lived experience. 👉 What have you seen work in online radicalisation prevention? Share your experience in the comments below! @EU_Commission @EU_FPI @EUPreventionHub

🌍 GCERF is pleased to announce a new SEK 30 million contribution from Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency @Sida for a 30-month programme in Uzbekistan and Iraq. The initiative will support sustainable return and reintegration, strengthen the capacity of local authorities and civil society, and address vulnerabilities linked to irregular migration, social marginalisation and violent extremist recruitment. 🤝 The programme directly contributes to Sweden’s Global Development Cooperation Strategy 2024–2028 on migration, return and voluntary repatriation, while remaining firmly rooted in GCERF’s mandate to prevent violent extremism through locally designed and community-led approaches. 💐 Our sincere gratitude goes to the Government of Sweden and Sida for their partnership and investment in this important work. @Sida @SweMFA @Utrikesdep @stefanomanservi @GCERF_ED