About the Programme

In response to the growing threat of violent extremism in Africa, UNDP aims to strengthen development responses and mitigate the growth of violent extremism in Africa. While a security-centred approach to violent extremism is necessary, it needs to be complemented by a development approach, focusing on long-term change at the structural level, such as strengthening the respect for human rights and the rule of law, providing socio-economic opportunities, increasing participation of excluded groups in decision making, and engaging them in prevention and mediation efforts, as well as working with the media, faith-based organizations and religious leaders to actively promote inclusion and tolerance. At the regional level, the project supports the capacity of the African Union (AU) and and and Regional Economic Communities, including Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

At the national level, the project provides technical and financial support to 21 countries clustered into three categories: ‘epicentre countries’ – Libya, Mali, Nigeria and Somalia; ‘spill-over countries’-  Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Tunisia; and, in ‘at-risk’ countries – Benin, the Central African Republic, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda.

Project results

• Supported effective regional coordination and joint planning, resulting in the development of the Lake Chad Basin Commissions Regional StabilizationStrategy.
• Supported development and the launch of IGADs Regional Strategy for Preventing and Countering violent extremism.

• As of 2019, more than 56,676 people were reached through public awareness programmes
• 628 at-risk youth have benefited from livelihood initiatives
• 615 religious leaders have been mobilized for PVE
• 481 women and youth have been supported as Government of Sweden peace ambassadors

 

• Contributed technical and financial support to the process of developing 7 national strategies and/or plans of action for the Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda

• Established "Human Right Observatory" in the North of Cameroon to deepen the understanding about HR-violations
• Supported civil-military community dialogues in Chadian island communities
  
• Provided capacity building to 125 religious leaders associated with the Kenyan Defence Forces on the effects of their interaction on youth radicalization.

• Established "Human Right Observatory" in the Far North of Cameroon
• Supported civil-military community dialogues in Chadian island communities 
• Provided capacity building to 125 religious leaders associated with the Kenyan Defence Forces on the effects of their interaction on youth radicalization.
  

Partnership

The Project is a joint initiative between UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa and Regional Hub in Amman. It articulates development response and addresses structural, causative, or perpetuating factors. 

The project has received support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), a government agency working on behalf of the Swedish government, and the Government of Netherlands. In the period between 2016 - 2018, the project also received financial support from the Government of Japan and the Government of the United Kingdom.