Work Plan (2012-2013) Global Counter Terrorism Forum, Sahel working group Co-chairs: Algeria-Canada 1) Threat to Sahel In addition

to the endemic poverty of the Sahel-Sahara, the regions security situation is a major concern. Inadequate resources for ensuring the continuity and sustainability of the States oversight functions make it difficult, if not impossible, for the central government to exercise its authority in remote areas far from capital cities and urban centres. The resulting administrative and security vacuum leaves such areas vulnerable to highly destabilizing forces. In this unstable environment, terrorist groups, particularly Al-Qaeda in the Islamist Maghreb (AQIM), attempt to use the structural weaknesses of these countries to create a haven for themselves, making it easier for them to take hostages and launch attacks on countries in the region. The AQIM has since been financing a large number of its activities with ransom money, including member recruitment and training. The terrorist threat in the Sahel is spread over the following geographic area: Inner periphery countries: Mali, Mauritania, Niger (non-members of the Global Counter -Terrorism Forum [GCTF]) and Algeria (GCTF member); and Outer-periphery countries: Burkina Faso, Guinea, Senegal, Chad (non-member of the GCTF), Morocco and Nigeria (members of the GCTF). 2) Objectives Consistent with GCTF Terms of Reference, promote regional and international cooperation and provide an avenue for working group experts to discuss capacity building gaps and identify solutions. In terms of counter terrorism capabilities for each country in the Sahel o Identify challenges and weaknesses; o Identify solutions; o Mobilize resources and competencies. Strengthen the regional consensus in counter terrorism efforts to create new opportunities for cooperation in the implementation of national, regional and international counter terrorism strategies (AU/ACSRT, ECOWAS, UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy). Provide a forum for networking and cooperation among a variety of stakeholders to promote dialogue, understanding, analysis-sharing, lessons learned and collaborative partnerships. After the first working group meeting, each subsequent meeting will focus on one of the five priority areas. Identify Sahel countries or organizations to chair future working group meetings on each of the priority areas. Seek a commitment from participants to send experts from various departments and agencies to future working group meetings on the identified priority areas.

3) Priority areas This working group will focus on cooperation and capacity building in the following areas: 1 September 2011

I Border security To strengthen border security: Establish national coordination mechanisms; Promote access to INTERPOLs I-24/7 database; Improve regional coordination and information exchange; Improve interoperability of border control services with the requirements of their strategic environment using an integrated approach that takes into account existing interactions between the various sectors (police, intelligence, customs, national guard, gendarmerie etc.); Improve access to equipment required and improve training for officers responsible for surveillance and traveller processing (at border crossings and airports), identify threats and falsified immigration documents, conduct cargo and ocean container searches to identify possible malicious items and ensure appropriate cross cultural communication; Develop joint training programs and joint counter terrorism exercises to build cooperation in real-time information exchanges, investigations, and operations. II Building legal and judicial cooperation Recognising that all countries have a different level of preparedness, criminal justice reform will strengthen counter terrorism capacity: Promote stronger intra-regional judicial cooperation, primarily in the area of extradition, for the purpose of fostering fuller integration of the Sahel-Sahara regions legal environment in the area of law and criminal procedure; Facilitate the development of national counterterrorism legislation and the updating of national acts and regulations; Help improve the skills of judicial police officers (national police and gendarmerie), legal experts and lawyers; Provide qualified staff with the necessary training to prosecute arrested persons; Adopt mechanisms for surveillance of persons and groups with links to terrorist organizations; Set up staff retention mechanisms.

III Police cooperation Building the capacities of police forces to counter terrorist activity: Identify needs in law enforcement training, equipment and tools, including, for example, fingerprint systems (dactyloscopy), customs scanners and forensics equipment (which can be accomplished through mentoring with embedded trainers); Work with all police forces, including gendarmeries and local/municipal police forces; Determine how to develop the capacity to conduct investigative processes that respect national counter terrorism legislation; Share lessons learned and best practices in the fields of investigation and interdiction techniques; Engage in information sharing and analysis involving standardization of information and communications technology.

IV Countering terrorism financing To limit the access of financial resources used by terrorists to conduct their activities: 2 September 2011

Discuss challenges in implementing national legal frameworks that seek to bring states in compliance with international standards on anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing; Examine progress on establishing and administering financial intelligence units; Identify areas where technical assistance is needed; Develop capacity-building programs to improve measures to eliminate terrorism financing; Improve coordination between various financial investigation units of countries in the region; Coordinate with national, regional and international organizations (e.g., the UN and GIABA).

V Community engagement With the objective of supporting governments efforts to counter extremism: Increase engagement with civil society, local communities and traditional leaders; When possible, promote participation of local and traditional leaders in the decision-making process so that these leaders will in turn support and cooperate with government authorities; Mobilize potential local stakeholders and opinion leaders; Develop targeted programs in various local languages throughout the media (radio, television and the press); Organize seminars and workshops to promote interaction between local dignitaries and various civil society representatives, particularly young people and women.

4) Participation Countries: Invitations to the working group meeting will be issued at the political and diplomatic level. For future meetings of the sub-groups dealing with the five priority areas, invitations will be issued at the technical and expert level. All GCTF members expressing interest. Non-GCTF countries, including Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad and Tunisia.

International and regional organizations: In an effort to promote greater regional coherence and inclusiveness, below is a list of possible participants from international and regional organisations for consideration: UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) Terrorism Prevention Branch, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force Office (CTITF), the World Customs Organization (including representatives from its Regional Academy in Burkina Faso), Institute for Security Studies (ISS), INTERPOL, Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), ECOWAS, the AUs Peace and Security Commission, the AUs African Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Centre and the Bamako Peacekeeping School. 3 September 2011

5) Structure The first Sahel working group meeting will take place over two days in Algiers in November 2011. Each session will focus on a priority area theme, during which invited officials and experts will deliver presentations on challenges relating to counter terrorism policies and programs. Each session will be followed by a discussion period chaired by a moderator selected by the co-chairs. Key conclusions and recommendations will be presented by the chairs at the end of the meeting. The Sahel working group is intended to be an informal non-political forum allowing open discussions amongst working level experts. The intent is for experts to promote their specialisations and offer practical solutions to regionally identified capacity building gaps. 6) Considerations While external actors may play a supportive role in the provision of resources and technical assistance, local Sahel states need to assume the leading role in addressing terrorist threats in a manner appropriate to the region's specific needs and challenges. GCTF members outside the Sahel region shall encourage Sahel states to continue taking ownership of their efforts and developing effective counter terrorism and border control strategies that are nationally driven and regionally supported. The contribution of the working group on counter terrorism in the sub-region should be based on an approach of complementarity with coordination efforts and initiatives developed by the countries of the Sahel and regional and international organizations. Participating non-GCTF states and organizations should be selected with a view to keeping the size of the working group manageable and the discussion focused on terrorist threats in the Sahel region. Capacity building should include long-term sustainable programs where trainees then pass on acquired knowledge to their peers through training and workshops. Capacity-building initiatives should reflect outcomes identified by participants of the GCTF Sahel working group. National capacity building should be tailored for each region of a country to best meet the needs of communities. Our activities should be coordinated with other GCTF working groups. Activities should comply with international human rights and counter terrorism standards and obligations. * * *

September 2011