Kenya to host regional forum on countering extremism in June

From left: Interior Principal Secretary Monica Juma, University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor Peter Mbithi and Attorney-General Githu Muigai at a counterterrorism forum at the University of Nairobi on May 7, 2015. Kenya will next month host a regional conference on countering violent extremism. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Interior ministry Principal Secretary, Monica Juma, said the conference scheduled for June 24 to June 28 will be expected to develop strategies to reduce factors that promote violent extremism.
  • The conference is a follow-up of the White House Summit held in February.
  • She said apart from discussing the drivers of radicalisation among the youth, the conference would offer lessons and improved ways of insulating protected places from becoming breeding grounds for extremism.

Kenya will next month host a regional conference on countering violent extremism.

Interior Ministry Principal Secretary Monica Juma said the conference, scheduled for June 24 to June 28, will be expected to develop strategies to reduce factors that promote violent extremism.

The conference is a follow-up of the White House Summit held in February.

It was then resolved that regional forums be launched as a build-up to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, where countering violent extremism would be one of the key topics of discussion.

“During the White House Summit, Kenya pledged to convene a regional conference on countering violent extremism, since our country is a frontline state in the international war against terrorism and violent extremism,” Ms Juma said.

INSULATING PLACES

She said apart from discussing the drivers of radicalisation among the youth, the conference would offer lessons and improved ways of insulating protected places from becoming breeding grounds for extremism.

“Kenya has suffered from the use of protected spaces such as refugee camps, educational institutions, mosques, prisons and welfare and assistance centres to propagate violent extremism,” Ms Juma said.

She said the country was vulnerable to terror attacks because it shares a border with Somalia, and had been infiltrated by Al-Shabaab.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery said infiltration by Al-Shabaab is one of the biggest security challenges in the country.

This is because the militants had lured Kenyan youth to join the terrorist organisation, radicalised, trained and deployed to plan and launch terrorist attacks against Kenya and the region.

“We have invited ministers of security from over 30 countries, international security experts and scholars on terrorism and violent extremisms, civil society groups, faith-based organisations, private sector and community leaders among others for the conference,” Mr Nkaissery said.

PLATFORM FOR DEBATE

Mr Nkaissery said the conference would offer a platform to debate, exchange perspectives and evolve joint action plans that deepen understanding of radicalisation and strengthen operational approaches in countering violent extremism in Africa.

The conference will discuss, among other issues, the types of extremism in Africa, how extremism networks organise themselves and manage to be ahead of the security forces and the communities, the narratives that promote extremism, the role of the private sector and promoting research on violent extremism.

“The role of social media and the mainstream media in promoting extremist ideologies will not be overlooked in the conference, as it is now emerging that terrorist groups have been recruiting through social media and promoting their propaganda through the media,” Ms Juma added.

The conference will bring together more than 300 participants, including delegates from at least 21 African countries involved in countering violent extremism, renowned international security scholars, senior security intelligence professionals, the private sector, religious scholars, as well as regional and international non-governmental organisations.

On Friday, National Counter-Terrorism Centre Director Isaac Ochieng launched a website that will be open to the public to register for participation in the June conference.