Perspectives on DDR Panel: Challenges & Opportunities for CVE (USA)

The two panels explored issues related to the lessons learned and future challenges for rehabilitation and reintegration, as part of DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration) efforts particularly within the framework of countering violent extremism.

This framework specifically cites the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum’s Rome Memorandum on Good Practices for Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Violent Extremist Offenders. The first panel presented relevant cases from Northern Ireland, Colombia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The speakers shared applicable lessons learned through country-specific case studies.

The second panel included presentations from experts and practitioners, which focused on rehabilitation and reintegration and its potential contributions to the DDR and CVE practice in view of current transnational challenges with violent extremism. In this panel, participants were also asked to reflect on the current role of the United Nations and other international actors, such as the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) in addressing these challenges from a policy and operational perspective.

Taking this into account, the key outcomes of the discussions included providing a platform that allowed various policymakers, researchers and practitioners to exchange their insights and good practices.

These exchanges underlined the lessons learned from their previous experiences in the rehabilitation and reintegration of former (and foreign) fighters, focusing on what the specific CVE challenges can learn from DDR experiences and insights and to what extent the DDR field learn from CVE insights in situations DDR efforts actually have to deal with former members of violent extremist or terrorist groups.