Cairo, Egypt – CCCPA hosted the signing ceremony of a cooperation framework with the United Nations Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI) on 18 June 2019. The cooperation framework will enhance CCCPA-OROLSI cooperation in the areas of preventing radicalization and extremism leading to terrorism (PRELT) and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR). 

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions, Mr. Alexandre Zouev, expressed the UN’s gratitude and appreciation of Egypt’s significant contribution to UN peacekeeping as a top troop- and police-contributing country, as well as in its capacity as Co-Chairman of the UN Group of Friends of DDR. 

On his side, CCCPA Director General Ashraf Swelam highlighted that the cooperation framework with OROLSI is in line with the priorities of the Egyptian Chairmanship of the African Union (AU), including building African capacities and advancing the UN-AU partnership in DDR and preventing violent extremism conducive to terrorism. 

The new cooperation framework will see CCCPA and ORLOSI partnering to contribute to the operationalization of the new Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS), as well as the AU DDR Operational Guidance Notes, through trainings and capacity building activities. The framework will also leverage CCCPA’s unique experience in enhancing African communities’ resilience to extremism conducive to terrorism.

The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of a lunch hosted by CCCPA in honor of Mr. Zouev, which included senior officials from relevant Egyptian Ministries (including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior and Justice) together with heads of UN programs and agencies. During the lunch, Mr. Zouev highlighted the important role played by OROLSI as a UN system-wide service provider. 

CCCPA is an AU center of excellence in training, capacity building, and research, under the suzerainty of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Center’s international mandate covers peace and security-related issues.